ABSTRACT
The internationalization of Japanese society, along with the greying of the population and the impact of the scientific, technological and information revolutions, has been one of the most widely discussed social issues in Japan in recent years. Among the many factors contributing to this lively debate is the recognition by many Japanese that global interdependence is no longer an abstract concept but an inescapable reality that deeply affects their lives. This recognition has become more acute as Japan has become increasingly involved in the critical problems besetting the world, ranging from trade friction to environmental destruction. Second is the fact that Japan has become a major economic power, producing more than 10 per cent of the total gross national product of the capitalist world and maintaining the world’s largest net assets overseas, with the resultant influence affecting the stability and prosperity of the entire globe. And third is the mounting criticism and pressure from overseas that Japan should open its doors to the outside world to a greater extent and should assume a more active role as a responsible member of the international community.
