ABSTRACT
Kyosei is arguably the Japanese native idea that most closely resonates with the Western concept of cosmopolitanism. This chapter discusses a variety of ways in which the notion of kyosei is used in and applied to different contexts in and beyond Japan. It looks at the profiles of kyosei advocates, examining their class backgrounds and the environments in which they develop cosmopolitan ideas. The chapter outlines how Japanese research remains peripheral to the Eurocentric discourses that dominate social sciences globally, and explores the potential of kyosei and other Japanese endogenous ideas to contribute to the enrichment of cosmopolitan social inquiries. Kyosei as cosmopolitanism has two orientations: transnational cosmopolitanism, and multicultural cosmopolitanism. While empirical macro-sociological studies show the overall distribution of kyosei orientations in Japan's general population, three specific groups deserve short descriptions to show different spheres in which cosmopolitan sensitivities would evolve: hybrid identities, corporate exposure and overseas emigration.
