Rationality, bureaucracy, and belief in the state 1

In the last chapter I described the state structures of Japan. But these visible institutions must be supported by invisible institutions. Stated differently, official structures require ideological justification, so that there must be a conviction, even if minimal, in the “secular theodicy” (Herzfeld 1992) of these structures. As in any religion, faith and its legitimacy and authority are central concerns (cf. Schaar 1969). In Japan, political legitimacy is officially located in the constitution, Diet, and other government organs. Elections, parties, and abstract ideologies such as national solidarity and democracy also legitimize Japan’s political life. However, these are just the more obvious institutions that sanction political authority in Japan. Resolute legitimacy and authorization are far more subtle and require more than the official structures usually examined. The invisible institutions of a society and its state, and how they are put into place, also deserve analytical attention, and in the next two chapters I examine how the state attempts to place its values in the self, but for now I point out only the nature of the problem. ²