ABSTRACT
A dominant image of Japan is of a faceless economic superpower with a disproportionate lack of cultural influence upon the world. Japan has money and technologies but cannot diffuse its culture. The culture of Japan that is considered worth appreciating is usually something traditional which is to be put on exhibit to show its irreducible uniqueness (Hannerz 1989). Contrary to this assumption, however, Japan has long been exporting cultural products overseas, particularly to Asia. The Japanese cultural presence in Asia is becoming increasingly conspicuous in the 1990s. This chapter explores the nature of Japan’s cultural presence overseas.
