Anime is the animation or cartoon particularly made in Japan with a huge fan following all over the world.  This art form covers serious topics than usual cartoon animations, not only does it attract children but also young adults and teens. It is a huge concept covering different genres like comedy, romance, drama, pornography. 

All the animes share the same kind of appearance which is different from the other cartoons and animations. The editors, the designers, the creators all strictly follow a peculiar artwork for anime. The characters have big eyes, highlighted bright colourful hairs, and chick dressing sense. They also have exaggerated emotional expressions and gestures which are specifically meant for the anime characters. Many of the characters are inspired by the characters of Disney like seven dwarfs, Micky mouse, mini mouse, and so on. So we really cannot confirm where the idea of big eyes, well- endowed figures have come from.

The Anime Culture and Its Popularity

The anime culture is purely Japanese. This culture was born in Japan along with the birth of Otaku subcultures in the 1960s. It has made a huge impact on its own country. The citizens and government of Japan constructed different kinds of statues, landmarks, and sites for the local citizens and also for the tourists. It is such a dominant side of Japan that many companies, business, brands, and organizations use anime characters in the advertisement, slogans, packaging, snacks and so on. Some brands have even launched anime-theme products for the customers, they are surprisingly doing very well in the markets of Japan as well as abroad. These markets are mainly the younger market, where audiences are more curious about the mascots or anime characters featuring in the product more than the product itself. It has become a household cultural trend among kids and young adults ever since the nineties along with pokemon, Digimon, yu-gi-oh.

The inspiration for anime has partially come from Japanese comic books, manga. Japanese culture can be seen in many TV shows. High schools in Japan are as similar as shown in anime. Staying in traditional ryokan inns, eating with chopsticks, the same kind of accessories, quite the same kind of hair and dressing styles are seen in the common people of Japan. There is a character called Hatsune Miku, Japan’s first Vocaloid singer, who has a huge fan base and craze over the Japanese young audience. There are also many realistic shows of anime that accurately blend Japanese culture into art. A Japanese village Manoyama has an anime based on itself named Sakura Quest. The Ambition of Oda Nobuna is based on another real man of Japan’s history called Nobunaga.

A massive part of the Japanese cultural industry, their animation industry is the country’s third-largest industry, bringing nearly $20 billion a year. It is visible everywhere across the country. As we can tell that most of the Japanese people are a fan of anime, the country is filled with people who are mad about manga as wekk and are really into otaku culture.

Anime’s World Domination

The world of anime is full of the genre, variety, and a lot of complexity. It is an incredibly rich culture. It is not only famous in Asian countries but also has an expanding fanbase among Indians, Americans, Europeans, and many more. An amazing thing about the animation industry is that 60% of all animated shows across the world come from Japan. Marketed to a huge global audience, it has been growing higher and higher in terms of popularity, income, and fame. Apart from providing the biggest selling film in Japan, Korea, China, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, it has become the most likeable among the western countries.

When it comes to animation, Disney has always been the priority of many audiences. With the rising popularity of anime, Disney has decided to put a Pokemon theme park in Disneyland.

Astro-boy, Dragon Ball, Howl’s Moving Castle, Detective Conan, Cowboy Bebop are very famous and popular in the world. People try to make their anime characters inspired by the characters from these series. Many of the popular anime series and films are taken to be remade in different film industries in different languages. The fantasy world of anime is just taking over us all with lots of colours, moments, and sounds, and songs bring these cartoon characters to life. Shockingly this fantasy world of anime and its characters has more fan following and popularity than many real celebrities.

Anime and the USA has an old connection since the 60s, American fandom has always been loyal to the anime series since then. Channels like Cartoon Network and Sci-Fi programmed anime blocks, series, movies from the 90s. Anime has already taken over Netflix, Amazon Prime. Apart from these anime has a specific app for streaming named HULU. Social media has been a great platform to know about anime characters, their specialty. Halloween costumes, memes, sites like makegirlsmoe, cosplay community are just all about anime and its impact.

The Soft Power of Japan: Anime

The love of Japanese people is and perhaps always will be anime. A lot of ceremonies are celebrated in Japan with the presence of an anime mascot and theme. Before the K-pop industry in South Korea became popular, anime was already there with its immense popularity, huge fanbases, and sky-high viewership. The multi-billion dollar industry is quite a strong tower in Japan’s economy. Japan’s contribution to the world in terms of cars, video games, fashion, and anime is quite impressive.

As mentioned earlier, Japan has lots of brands, products specifically themed in anime for the market with the positive point of the blue ocean market. Well in the field of tourism anime has been a great plus point. Besides the reflection of Japanese culture, food, dressing style in anime already attract the tourist but different kinds of anime concert, anime-themed markets, mascot, statues, art camps are way more effective in promoting tourism to Japan as well as influencing pop-cultures. Places like Tokyo Anime Centre; holds daily radio with an anime character, the electric city Akihabara known as the otaku destination, J-talk Tokyo, Tokyo character street, Dogo onsen, Otome Road are hubs for tourists, people all over the world’s visits these places for their craving for anime, game worlds and many more. Tourism is becoming a high hit in Japan due to its influence all over the world.

Being the third biggest largest economy in the world, with the rising soft power, culture, and diplomatic relations, Japan is doing a great deal in enhancing its international standing. Japan has invested billions of dollars in cultural exchange and teaching of the Japanese language, which is a great success to date and giving a major boost to the economy of the country. A lot of the young generation coming to Japan in search of work, education, and to learn the otaku culture is a great deal for its economy and culture. The root of anime all across the world becoming a major soft power bouncer to the country. The Japanese government has exploited the power of its animation industry to make the country’s economy stronger. The Japanese government has made a lot of investment to make anime-themed towns and museums for tourist attractions. This not only helps the tourism, or work section but also brings a lot’s of business collaboration from the world.  

Rise of Japanese programs is also helping japan to promote their pop-culture in quite an impressive way. The formation and promotion of J-pop just like K-pop is one such example. It’s kind of popular among the younger generation.

“Art and culture play a vital role in globalization. It is a way to get your message across, an effective yet discreet way to create friends – opposite to the alarm and fear resulting from coercion.’’ said the commissioner at the Japanese government’s cultural agency, Seiichi Kundu.
‘’Japanese pop culture is a gateway to the deeper and more traditional Japanese culture’’ said, Ambassador Kondo.

Conclusion

Anime has become the soft power to Japan indeed. The paradox is that the concept of japan’s soft power is not very controversial. People back in Japan and abroad discussed it as a soft power very little. Not like other soft powers, it is not offensive, it is loved by all. It is creating a new pride and confidence in confronting the issue of soft power to the world. Anime’s emphasis on cultural diplomacy is quite agreeable to the whole world. The tourism market, education sector, learning camps are rising daily as lots of people across the globe are getting attracted towards Japan. The people who are still at home trying to learn Japanese, buying many anime-themed products, kind of being prepared for their first visit to Japan, helps the Japanese government to gain more revenues hence improving their economy.

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Consultations between Secretary (East) and Republic of Korea First Vice Foreign Minister

Consultations were held between Ms. Riva Ganguly Das, Secretary(East), MEA, and the First Vice Foreign Minister Mr. Choi Jong-Kun of the Republic of Korea. The consultation was centred around international issues of mutual interest including high-level bilateral exchanges, defense, security cooperation, and COVID-19 response. An important area covered during the meeting was air travel between the two countries. Vice Minister Choi highlighted the steps being undertaken by the government to relax travel restrictions and agreed to continue consultation on the air bubble between the two countries. The Vice Minister expressed appreciation of the leadership role played by the Indian Republic in tackling issues such as climate change and disaster management through initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

The United States confers ‘Legion of Merit’ award on Prime Minister Narendra Modi

The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump conferred the highest decoration, The Legion of Merit, Degree Chief Commander, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr. Modi was bestowed with the following award in recognition of his exemplary contribution to the advancement of the India-United States strategic partnership and promoting global peace and prosperity. The award was received on behalf of Mr. Modi, by Taranjit Sigh Sandhu. The Legion of Merit was also awarded to the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the former Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe.

India-UK Consultations on UNSC Issues

On the 18th of December, India and the United Kingdom held consultations on United Nations Security Council Issues. The UK delegation was being led by Mr. James Kariuki, Multilateral Policy Department of the UK Commonwealth and Foreign Office, and representatives from their Missions in New York and New Delhi. On the other hand, the Indian delegation was being led by Mr. Parish Gupta, Js (UNP & Summits), Ministry of External Affairs, and included other officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, PMI New York, and Indian High Commission in London.

The Indian delegation used this opportunity to brief their UK counterparts on its priorities during its upcoming tenure, including reformed multilateralism and counter-terrorism. The Indian delegation further touched upon its plan during its upcoming Presidency of the UNSC, including Climate Change and Security and famine and hunger in conflict situations. Both the delegations agreed to cooperate and work closely doing their time at the Security Council over the next two years.

Visit of External Affairs Minister to Qatar (December 27-28, 2020)

The External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar will be conducting an official visit to the State of Qatar on 27-28 December. The External Affairs Minister is scheduled to meet the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Ministry, H.E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani. India and Qatar have over the years maintained close bilateral relations, and strong economic, cultural, and people-to-people cooperation. Bi-lateral trade was the US $10.95 billion in 2019-2. Both sides remain committed to intensifying bilateral cooperation in various fields including energy and investment.

The following visit undertaken by Jaishankar will be his first visit to the country in the capacity of the Indian External Affairs Minister. During the visit, he will be conducting a series of talks with his Qatari counterparts on issues ranging from regional and international issues of mutual interest. The two sides also focused on their response to the ongoing COVID- 19 pandemic and look forward to negotiating an agreement regarding a travel air bubble between the two states.

Virtual Meeting between Minister of State for External Affairs and the Foreign Minister of Gabon

A meeting between the Indian Republic and Gabon was held virtually on the 23rd of December, 2020. India was represented by Shri V. Muraleedheran, Minister of State for External Affairs, while Gabon was resented by H.E. Mr. Pacome Moubelet Boubeya, The Foreign Minister. Both leaders undertook a detailed review of bilateral ties including the COVID 19 pandemic and possibilities of cooperation in the post-COVID scenario. India and Gabon have shared friendly and cordial relations. The Indian delegation used the opportunity to emphasize how the meeting between Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and H.E. the President of Gabon in March of 2018 during the ISA founding Conference and during the Foreign Minister’s visit in 2017 and 2018 and strengthened the strategic relationship between the two countries.

Moving on, the attention shifted to Gabon and the ministers focused on the huge potential that exists in the country such as manganese, timber, agriculture, and railways. Bilateral trade between the two countries has been progressing at a steady rate and reached a total of US $511 million in 2018-19. Both delegations also reviewed the utilization of ITEC slots and finalized the draft MOU for participating in the e-VBAB project. Lastly, the two leaders discussed future cooperation and assistance at an international level, while assuring each other of support at the United Nations and other international forums.

India-Australia-Japan-United States Senior Officials Consultations

A joint video conference was held between the Senior Officials from the Ministry of External Affairs of India, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and Department of State of the United State of America. The following meeting was a follow-up to meetings held between the above-mentioned countries in September and October. The main focus of the consultation was on practical cooperation in the areas of connectivity and infrastructure development and security issues that include counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, and disaster relief. The countries present highlighted their main aim, which was to promote peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

In terms of the ongoing effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the officials underscored the importance of enhancing the resilience of supply chains and highlighted the need to ensure safe, effective, and affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The officials emphasized the centrality of the ASEAN in the regional architecture of the Indo-Pacific, by reiterating their support for ASEAN- centrality and ASEAN-led mechanisms.

Conclusion

With the introduction of the different COVID-19 vaccines, the world finally breathes a sigh of relief. In India’s case, we see a concentrated effort to strengthen relations, strategic partnerships and supply chains. The coming months will be a testament of whether India as a country will fade into oblivion owing to the severe economic stress brought upon the country, or will it embody the tail of a Phoenix rising from the ashes.

Also Read: INDIA’S FOREIGN POLICY REPORT — EDITION #7

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Some major updates to cover in today’s Indian Foreign Policy Report are as follow:

Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism

The Republic of India recently participated in the Ministerial meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism. The Indian delegation was led by Smt. Vijay Thakur Singh, Ministry of External Affairs. The virtual meeting began with the Indian Secretary conveying a word of gratitude to the Foreign Ministers of Spain and Afghanistan respectively, Co-Chairs of the group and also to the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) for organising the meeting. The Secretary then went onto underscore the importance of dealing with terrorism as an international problem rather than an individual domestic one. She also highlighted that even though the world today has been brought to a standstill, terrorism still continues to pose a threat to International Peace and Security. Throughout the meeting, special emphasis was placed on the rights of the victims of terrorism to get justice for the crimes committed against them. Lastly, the secretary called for redressing deficiencies in the international efforts to ensure that perpetrators of terrorism are swiftly brought to justice. During the meeting, gratitude was also expressed towards the United Nations for establishing August 21 as the ‘ ̃International Day of Remembrance of and tribute to the Victims of Terrorism’.

Press Release of Russia-India-China Foreign Ministers

On the 10th of September, India released a joint press statement, along with the Foreign Minister of Russia, Mr Sergey Lavrov and State Councillor/Foreign Minister of China, Mr Wang Yi. The meeting kicked off with the three ministers expressing their resolve to strengthen the Russia-China-India trilateral cooperation and give importance to issues of international and regional importance. The minister laid emphasis on the fact that cooperation among the three countries is conducive and vital in promoting global growth, peace, stability and more importantly creating an environment of inclusive multilateralism and respect for universally recognized principles of international law. In terms of the recent challenges posed by the COVID- 19 world pandemic, the ministers concurred that the three countries, with strong scientific and industrial capacities, could make a significant contribution towards mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The External Affairs Minister of India and the Foreign Minister of China thanked the Foreign Minister of Russia for the chairmanship of RIC and the conferences organized during the past year. The Foreign Minister of Russia officially handed over the chairmanship of RIC to the External Affairs Minister of India.

13th India-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue

The 13th India-Japan Foreign Ministerial Strategic Dialogues was recently conducted between the Indian Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar and his Japanese counterpart, H.E Mr Motegi Toshimitsu. The meeting was initiated with the two representatives reviewing the progress made in India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership and discussing issues of mutual interests, ranging from maritime security to UN reforms. Having experienced the benefits of technology at a time when the world has experienced a veritable seismic shift towards technology, the two Foreign ministers finalised the text of the Cyber Security Agreement. The agreement looks at promoting cooperation in capacity building, research and development, security and resilience in the areas of Critical Information Infrastructure, 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), among others. Lastly, the two Foreign Ministers turned to the issue of the Indo-Pacific that has the entire world riveted. India has time and again, emphasised its belief in establishing the Indo-Pacific as a free and inclusive region. The meeting also led to further discussions on the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative between India, Japan, Australia and other like-minded countries. Lastly, the Japanese side agreed to be the lead partner in the connectivity pillar of the Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI) and jointly take both countries’ respective visions for the Indo-Pacific forward.

Joint Press Release of the 7th Round of India-China Military Commander-Level Meeting

The 7th round of the Senior Commanders Meeting of India and China was held in Chushul. The meeting mainly focused on the disengagement along the Actual Line of Control in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas. After what was described as a positive and constructive meeting, both sides agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through their military as well as diplomatic channels. Lastly, both sides agreed to ensure that disagreements in the future do not turn into disputes, securing peace in the region, by maintaining tranquillity in the border areas.

2nd India-Australia-Japan-USA Ministerial Meeting

The Indian Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar participated in the Second India-Australia-Japan-USA ministerial meeting in Tokyo. The meeting started with a follow up of the talks held in the previous year in September. The four countries called for a coordinated international response, spearheaded by the four nations. They further discussed the post-pandemic world order. The meeting mainly focused on the need to establish best practices to combat the virus, to increase the resilience of the supply chain and fortify the need to enhance the access to affordable vaccines, and medical equipment. Keeping in mind the emergence of the Quad and the importance of the Indo- Pacific, the Foreign Ministers exchanged views about regional and international issues of importance. The representatives re-emphasised their firm support to working towards realising a shared vision for the Indo-Pacific. Alongside the joint ministerial meetings of all the four nations, S. Jaishankar also met with H. E Micheal Pompeo, Secretary of State for the USA, and in the immediate future, will be meeting with the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Japan.

Appointments

The current Ambassador of India to the Republic of Indonesia, Shri Pradeep Kumar Rawat has been replaced by Shri Manoj Kumar Bharti, who served as the Special Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The following appointment comes as a result of Mr Rawat’s appointment as the next Indian Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Lastly, Shri Rahul Shrivastava, who currently serves as the Indian Ambassador of India to Romania, has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador to the Republic of Albania.

Conclusion

The world that we inhabit today is very different from the one that we experienced just over a year ago. Not only have we been dealing with an existential crisis at hand in the form of the COVID 19 pandemic, but as we step into a new decade of the 21st century, we find chaos and confusion governing the four corners of the world, with the coups in countries like Mali and the pitiable state that countries like Nigeria are in. However, the most anticipated event of the year, the US presidential elections are in a fortnight, and it’ll definitely be interesting to see how they shape global politics in the coming years.

Also Read: INDIAN FOREIGN POLICY REPORT — EDITION #6

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The strategic importance of the Korean Peninsula has enacted as the bridge between Asia mainland and Japan. It was believed that dominance over the Korean Peninsula signified influence over East Asia. It was during 1876 that diplomatic ties between both the countries were established. The Sino- Japanese War fought during 1894- 1895 must be analyzed from the perspective of Japanese imperialism or ‘Empire of the East’ countering the notion of western imperialism. However, the latter is not the only form of imperialism. Clearly, the aim of the Japanese government was to exercise political and economic control. Public opinion supported this action and clearly believed that Japan should play a pivotal role in helping Korea to free itself from the clutches of China. On the other hand, Qing China during the 1880s espoused the necessity to dominate over Korea. It is indeed true that nationalism and the trajectory of civilization have an intimate relationship as can be clearly seen by the case of Japan. Both the countries emphasized on their narratives to point out the righteousness in their actions (Sook, 2011, p: 39-74). Clearly, the Japanese government had manipulated the public opinion towards its aggressive foreign policy. Japan engaged in the discourse of civilization or bunmei kaika to present itself as a progressive nation which saw the light of Westernization (Darua, 2001, p: 99- 130). This altering contour emerged during the reign of the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912).  However, Russia’s emergence as a threat to Japan pushed the latter to be protective about Korea which led to the Russo-Japan War in 1905. 

Colonization of Korea (1905- 1945): Etched in Korea’s Collective Memory

Russia’s defeat was the stepping stone for Japan as Korea was formally annexed and become a part of the Japanese empire in 1905. Korea remained colonized till 1945 after which she was freed from Japan’s clutches with the latter’s defeat in the Pacific War. It was in 1912 that the Japanese Governor-General propagated laws that allowed the Japanese people to have ownership of land in Korea. A resettlement program was introduced by the government wherein many Japanese families settled in Korea before the end of the First World War. A large scale displacement took place. Additionally, 724,777 Korean workers had been sent to mainland Japan and Sakhalin as labourers in industries for mining, shipbuilding and construction. The Koreans were treated as second-class citizens and the Japanese government attempted to erase their culture by drawing up policies that would lead them to speak in the language of the colonizers. It was believed that Korean history and geography books were burned down by a nationwide search as well as confiscation of books of its independence and biographies of its national heroes was conducted by the government.

Not only that, gender-based violence on the Korean women was emerging as a disturbing issue during the Second World War. 20,000 Korean and Asian women were trafficked in military brothels to serve as ‘comfort women’ to the Japanese soldiers during the Asia-Pacific war. Comfort stations had been established in Indonesia, Indochina, Thailand, Okinawa, Korea and Taiwan. The women were treated as forced sexual slaves and must be analyzed from the perspective of gender-based violence. On the other hand, Japan had been the signatory of the International Convention for the Suppression of Traffic in Women and Children of 1921, yet Korea and Taiwan did not come under its purview. (Min, 2003, p: 938-957) The terminology of jugun inafu or comfort women was coined by the Japanese Government officials to cloak the reality of sexual slavery. Women who rebelled were brutally beaten up, raped and tortured.  It took 20 years before the former Korean President, Park Chung- Hee had agreed to normalize ties with Japan as collective memory etched on to its horrifying history.

Changing Contour of Republic of Korea and Japan Ties

The relations between South Korea and Japan can be examined from the point of view of a former suzerain state and colonizer since the 19^th century. Japan had argued that by the treaty of 1965 with South Korea, the former has provided compensation of $9.5 million for its sexual slavery as well as apologized in 1993. It was in 1952 that the first territorial dispute emerged between South Korea and Japan. Although Tokyo came under the jurisdiction of Korea, it had been administered by the latter for 41 years.  Kim Young- Sum’s Government declared the construction of a wharf facility in 1996 which was protested by the Hashimoto Government of Japan. However, on the face of North- Korean Teapeo- Dong Missile Crisis, Republic of Korea, President Kim and Japanese Prime Minister, Obuchi in 1998 signed the Joint Declaration and Action for a New Korea- Japan partnership in the 21st century. It was in 2015 that the former Foreign Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida offered a formal apology and the Japanese Government stated that it would establish a Reconciliation and Healing Center which would care for the victims of sexual violence.  As Korea was in the process of democratization, civic organizations such as the Association of War Victims and Bereaved Families of Korean’s and Citizens Coalition for Economic Justice insisted that their Government must bring out a resolution to the colonial problems faced in South Korea. However, it cannot be denied that Japan was heralded as an economic partner. The post- Cold War period witnessed shifts in Korea- Japan relationship as security cooperation between USSR, North Korea, China and on the other hand, Japan, Republic of Korea and the USA broke down. Nonetheless, it cannot be forgotten that Japan and South Korea have espoused an anti-community narrative which is significant in their alliance as constructivism argues. These countries distinguish themselves from the other or Communism in this regard which is rooted in the perception of the self and other. The alliance is established when North Korea emerges as a common threat that leads them to shift from friction. It is imperative that the norms or a common ground must be shared for cooperation to flourish. Adding to that, the alliance did not last very long when in 2010 South Korea recalled the ambassador to Tokyo to protest against the approval of the Japanese Government of middle school textbooks written by the Society for Making New History Books, a Right- Wing intellectual group that aimed to conceal the atrocities of Japan’s wartime history. (Cho, 2008, p: 2-117) It clearly glorified Japanese militarism and fueled anti- Japanese sentiment in Korean public opinion. South Korean domestic policies have the impact of post-colonial history. The General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) had been signed in 2016 which allowed Seoul and Japan to exchange information on North Korean missile which was supposed to expire in November. Ties experienced a downward spiral after the Supreme Court of South Korea in 2018 had ordered Japanese Firms to pay reparation for mobilizing Korean men and women as forced labours. Japan responded in July by removing South Korea from its list of trading partners as well as curbing exports namely fluorinated polyamides, photerists and hydrogen fluoride which are pivotal to the former’s semiconductor industry. The decision of not renewing the GSOMIA was upheld by Moon Jae’s government. The trade war that had been declared by both the countries has been perceived as a warning sign for USA and fear looms of the trilateral alliance breaking down.  

Portrayal of Japanese Media House Towards the Issue of Comfort Women

Journalism plays a pivotal role in bringing the truth to the public, yet this is determined by the coverage of the issue and if its portrayal is influenced by Government representation. ‘Sorrowful Homecoming’ was a Documentary which was released by the Korea Center of Investigative Journalism in 2016 that contained interviews of Korean women who were treated as sex slaves. This documentary had been created to raise awareness of the brutality done by the Japanese Imperial Army on Korean women and reconstruct the past human abuses. This has played an important role in building the collective memory of South Korea.  (Runquist, 2020, p: 2-17) On the other hand, Hirayasu Minzo, the Executive Editor of the Japan Times had criticized Reuters for not taking into account Japan’s viewpoint of colonization and refused to call comfort women as victims neither did he view Japan’s annexation of Korea as brutal.  Clearly, the Japan Times had refused to portray the horrifying Human Rights Violations that had occurred under the Meji regime in fear that it would be perceived as anti- Japanese by Shinzo Abe’s Government as it needed revenues from companies to survive and therefore had utilized the usage of such terminology. Although, Minzo had denied that his stance had altered due to external pressure, the fear of Abe’s Government ceasing the functioning of the paper could be viewed as one of the motives behind such an action. Indeed, the banner was, “All the news without fear or favor” has proved to be a farce as the truth has been denied. This has played a pivotal role in accentuating differences between the two countries. 

USA’s Role in South Korea-Japan Ties

The USA had perceived South Korea as its bulwark against Communism during the Cold War era. Yet, it cannot be denied that she built the foundation for democracy and it was the path that the Republic of Korea walked on. It was in 1953 that the Mutual Defense Treaty between the USA and the ROK was signed when Korean War had come to an end. The fervour to renew this alliance was pushed by George Bush’s Government during the 2000s. The USA, Japan and the Republic of Korea have been entangled in trilateral cooperation as North Korea’s advancement of nuclear missiles and China’s growing aggressiveness have led to the development of this alliance as these three countries share the standpoint of security. Nevertheless, this alliance has been embedded in the USA’s foreign policy. Nonetheless, an agreement between the Korean President, Park Geun- Hye and Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe was reached on 28^th December 2015 which could not have been possible without the pivotal role played by Obama’s administration which focused on the policy of “Rebalance to Asia”.

Conclusion

It is imperative for the Trump administration to sustain the trilateral cooperation as the ties between The ROK and Japan experience significant shifts due to the disturbing colonial past and atrocities embedded in the history of South Korea. As China’s aggressiveness becomes a warning sign for the USA as the ever so globalized world witnesses a re-emerging dawning Cold War era, the alliance can become the foundation for resistance if the economic partnership is facilitated. However, it must be kept in mind that the relationship of the Republic of Korea with Japan has been defined by the history of colonialism and collective memory.

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SUICIDE PREVALENCE IN JAPAN 

Sign board at the entrance of Aokigahara Forest (Suicide Forest) that beg suicidal visitors to think about their loved ones and to seek help if they’re considering taking their life in the forest

For years, the Japanese had failed to identify depression and problems of the mind as legitimate problems and ignored them persistently. It is only in recent times, perhaps owing to a wider worldview provided by the 21st-century global world, that these problems which are as common in Japan as any other part of the world have come to light.

Japan ranks among the top countries in terms of a number of deaths by suicide. In 2019, the death of approximately 20.1 thousand people was recorded by suicide, and although the figure has significantly reduced from the previous years, it’s still quite high. In fact, suicides have been such an accepted fact in Japanese history that a forest called the Aokigahara Forest is deemed as a ‘suicide forest’ where people go to kill themselves, mostly by hanging themselves to the trees of the forest.

The large scale of suicides that Japan witnesses every year, can perhaps be attributed to some distinct factors, although there is bound to be exceptions, given the very personal nature of such tragedies.

❖ Cultural and Historical practices: For the longest time, Japanese culture has identified suicide as not a sin (unlike Christianity) but rather as a way of taking responsibility for one’s actions. Far from being deemed as tragic or feeling the need to reduce its rates, the Japanese often interpreted suicide as honourable. This notion was perhaps the by-product of the ‘seppuku’ practices followed in the Samurai tradition, according to which the Samurai’s ritual suicides were honourable. In recent times, these ideas that romanticize suicide has been discarded to an extent, and a greater emphasis on mental health has acquired more importance. 

❖ Financial Reasons: Statistics suggest that young men between the age of 22-40 are most commonly the victims of suicide and this is attributed to the financial problems brought about by unemployment and employment on the basis of short term contracts.

❖ Isolating technology: Japan’s culture of not complaining further increases the troubles for individuals. Not being able to express one’s feelings adequately, and further, the introduction of newer technologies, isolate people to an extent that they might become helpless.

❖ Karoshi which means ‘death from overwork’ is one of the most prominent causes of suicide in Japan. The term was invented in the 1970s as a result of a number of deaths that had been brought about by work-related stresses and pressures. However, it still remains quite persistent in contemporary times. Numerous studies on work culture have brought into light the collectivist and hierarchical nature of Japanese society, unlike the western societies which are individualistic and non-hierarchical. What this means for Japanese society is that in order to move up the hierarchy in their work status Japanese people often tend to overwork themselves so as to please their bosses and maintain group harmony.

THE ROLE OF YAKUZA IN JAPAN

Men donning Yakuza style tattoos | Credit: Jorge/Wikimedia Commons

The avenue of organized crime in Japan has been dominated by the Yakuza, known as bōryokudan or gokudō, for years. These Yakuza groups are primarily mafia-like criminal organizations whose existence is deeply entrenched in Japanese history. These groups were at their glory in the 1960s with gang membership of about 184, 000 but in the 21st century, it has been reduced to about 80,000 members. The Yakuza comprises of several gangs which are affiliated to about 20 conglomerate gangs, of which the Yamaguchi-Gumi is the largest.

Living up to its name of a criminal organisation, the Yakuza engage in a number of shady activities including extortion, blackmail, smuggling, prostitution, drug trafficking, gambling, loan sharking, day- labour contracting, and other rackets. But the control of the Yakuza over Japan stretches across different fields, even unlikely ones such as entertainment industries, restaurants and bars and taxi companies, and other major factories and businesses. Unsurprisingly, the Yakuza are also involved in international crimes.

One of the major activities that the Yakuza are known to engage in is Drug trafficking especially of methamphetamine, although such activities are only condoned by some gangs and others such as the Yamaguchi-Gumi strictly disapprove of such actions. Perhaps even further down the moral scale than drug trafficking, the Yakuza are infamous for engaging in human trafficking in extensive scales. Often young girls from small villages are persuaded to come to big cities by the Yakuza, who promise them good jobs and respectable positions in the society, but in reality, forcing them to become sex workers after they arrive. They also follow a practice of extortion specific to Japan, known as ‘sōkaiya’ which basically means a protection racket.

However, the Yakuza’s relationship with Japanese society is more complex than it might seem to appear in the first glance. While some natives are completely repulsed by the idea of the Yakuzas, others perceive it as a form of a necessary evil. The possible reason for this may be the Yakuza’a existence in Japanese society for hundreds of years and also some philanthropic deeds that the Yakuza has undertaken for the people of their nation. For instance, during the Kobe Earthquake of 1955 and the Tsunami in 2011, the gangs took up the task of delivering and distributing essential supplies to victims. While the Yakuza has certainly evolved into a relatively more crime-free group compared to it’s earlier manifestations, the nature of the group and its relationship with Japanese society still remains complicated, especially the one between the police and the Yakuza, both of which, much suspect work hand in hand.

THE NIGHTLIFE IN JAPAN – PROSTITUTION RINGS

Prostitution (baishun, i.e, selling spring) declared illegal by the Japanese government is present in Japan, on an extensive scale. Their existence which is in direct contradiction to the law, is perhaps possible by their affiliation and control by the Yakuza and also perhaps due to their covert means of operating. The Japanese government in the second half of the 20th century had banned prostitution, but this ban catered to only a narrow definition, i.e, intercourse in exchange of payment, therefore living ample space for functioning of oral copulation, erotic massages, etc, which are therefore entirely legal. This, these activities along and even intercourse, is a largely occurring event in the nightlife of Japan. Tokyo, for example, is believed to have one of the largest red-light districts in the world. Pink salons that specialize in oral pleasure are common and so are some shady ‘spa’ businesses which carry out such activities, under an innocent pretext.

Photograph of girls working in pleasure house “Sakuraya” in port town of Yokohama

Most of the prostitutes are trafficked slaves, and what’s even more sickening is the child prostitution prevalent in Japan. The legal age of consent for a girl in Japan is 13, so most underage sex is protected by law, and often conveniently blame the girls, as inviting it upon themselves. The child prostitution racket in Japan, often called the JK Trade is perhaps embedded in the Japanese culture of sexualizing young girls, which is evident in the craze over maid cafes, and the way young girl’s bodies are represented in anime and manga, all of which are a very prominent part of Japanese Culture.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, it may well be understood that Japanese culture, is not as bright and cheery as it may seem at first glance. It is an undeniable fact that therefore, that there is another side to the coin, i.e, while Japanese culture is rightful to boast about its many vibrant festivals and whatnot, the dark side of Japan primarily represented by the existence of Yakuza and its role in Japanese society, Suicide prevalence in Japan and prostitution rings along with other issues such as poor economy, sub-standard educational and bureaucratic system and high rising prices, are ever-present.

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KYOTO – THE CULTURAL CENTRE

While the rich culture of Japan is prevalent throughout the entire nation, the city of Kyoto in the southwest of the country is regarded as the cultural centre, by the Japanese and foreigners alike, perhaps owing to its historical roots. Kyoto was the capital of the country until the latter half of the 19^th century, and therefore people often perceive it as the birthplace of the Japanese culture. Home to about 2000 temples and shrines along with imperial palaces, and other ancient buildings, it was within this city that several distinct cultural institutions of Japan, like, tea ceremony (cha-no-yu) and flower arranging (ikebana), the theatrical arts of Noh, Kabuki and traditional dance, were initiated and spread to other parts of the country. Kyoto also has housed masterpieces of calligraphy, sculpting, painting and architecture. The population in Kyoto still remains involved in such activities, creating masterpieces that are deemed as national treasures, conducting tea ceremonies, and having an active theatrical life with annual processions by Noh performers, etc. The three festivals that the citizens celebrate in great grandeur and pride are Aoi in May, Gion in July and Jidai in October.

Aoi Festival

Gion Festival

Jidai Festival

The Japanese population along with the whole world, has embraced the culture of Kyoto, which can be implied by the recent popularity of the phrase, “Sekai no Kyoto” (The World’s Kyoto). The popular tourist destinations like the many number of Shrines and temples (Fushimi Inari Shrine, Gingaku – Ji Temple, Kinkaku – Ji temple, etc ), the Arashiyama Bamboo grove, and others such as Gion and Pont-cho street attract tourists from all over the world, and even the native Japanese who try to go to the city atleast once in their lives.

RELIGION – Buddhism and Shintoism

Japan has seen the growth of two major religions, i.e, Buddhism which was brought about by foreign forces and the native religion of Shintoism, both of which have peacefully co-existed. However, the  division between followers of Buddhism and Shintoism is far from watertight, as most often, those Japanese who follow Buddhism, sometimes also declare themselves as followers of Shinto. Therefore, any claims of the population being divided solely into Buddhists and Shintos do not hold.

Shintoism

Tori Gate

Fushimi Inari-taisha

Shinto, i.e, the way of the Gods (Kami) is the oldest religion in Japan and possibly the most followed, as evidence suggests that about 80% of the Japanese identify themselves as followers of Shinto. There are no historical evidences that suggest the identity of the founder of the religion, and a lack of sacred texts and any sort of formalized teachings, indicate the fact that unlike Buddhism, it’s not an organized religion. The cornerstone of Shintoism is the belief in Kami, i.e, the spiritual elements of nature that exist in waterways, trees, mountains, and geographical regions.  The only foundation of the religion in conclusion is therefore, reverence of peace and harmony, respect for all elements of nature and the belief that being in nature means a closer access to Kami.

How has Buddhism influenced Japanese culture?

The Great Buddha (Daibutsu) at Kōtoku-in, Kamakura, in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Buddhism which officially came to Japan around 525 BC, has been able to acquire a large following in the country, with about 90 million of the population identifying themselves as Buddhists. While the religion faced a certain conflict between pro-Buddhist and anti-Buddhism factions, it was successful in establishing its foundations in Japan and subsequently changed the political structure, technological fields and brought in a myriad of sophisticated cultural practices like dance, music, a new writing system and also Buddhist art, that have undoubtedly had a greater impact on the Japanese culture as a whole.

‘Matsuri’ – THE CULTURAL FESTIVALS OF JAPAN

A very important and lively aspect of Japanese culture, is the many number of ‘matsuri’ or the cultural festivals, which bring in cheerful spirits for the native population, who often enjoy the festivities wearing colourful and mostly, traditional clothes and getting involved in the activities the festivals are known for. Research suggests that Japan witnesses as many as 200-300 festivals in a year, all of which are big, fun and crowded events, and are deeply entrenched within the Japanese Culture.

These festivals which occur over the course of a year, differ greatly in terms of the season in which they occur.

SUMMER: The festivals in summer are known worldwide for their use of fireworks or what the Japanese call, Hanabi. These fireworks light up the sky in bright colours and the people often dressed in their Yukatas and Kimonos,  gather in large numbers to watch the show.

Summer Fireworks in Fukuoka

SPRING: In Spring, the Cherry blossoms or Sakura trees turn pink which in itself is a site of majestic beauty. The spring festivals are centered around these trees, where people from different regions come and enjoy activities under the cherry blossoms either in a park, a castle, etc. The Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival is perhaps one of the most famous of such festivals that are conducted in Japan.

Cherry Blossom Festival

Tokyo during spring

WINTER AND FALL: Besides Summer and Spring, cultural festivals of unique natures are also practiced in Winters and Fall. In winter, for instance, the Sapporo Snow Festival and Nozawa festival attract thousands of visitors and so does the Fujiwara Autumn Festival in fall.

Nozawa Fire Festival

The festivals, therefore, are of varied nature, some being calm and peaceful, where people visit shrines and temples, while others are lively events for the Japanese to enjoy with their loved ones.

What role have ANIME and MANGA played in Japanese culture?  

Anime, as the name suggests, is Japanese animation which is either hand-drawn or computer-animated. The diverse fan base of Anime, which is worldwide,is perhaps because of it’s very distinct characteristics that distinguish it from animation produced in any other parts of the world. Manga, on the other hand, are more like Japanese comics or Graphic novels which are read from right to left, while western comics can only be read left to right. Often, those mangas which are able to acquire a large fan base, like Naruto, One Piece, Dragon Ball, Haikyu, etc, are converted into anime. Both Anime and Manga, over the years have become a very crucial aspect of Japanese culture.                                            

Still from Grave of the Fireflies (1980)

Manga Comic

The unconventionality associated with anime and manga, is perhaps a contributor to it’s popularity among adults, and not just kids. These stories that are available in all genres like action, romance, slice of life, rom-com, supernatural, horror, etc, break the notion that anime is meant only for kids. The fan base remain hooked on each episode or chapter, due to the unpredictability of what might happen next.

In Japan, anime and Manga, has become a way of life for ‘Otakus’ (which however is an offensive word for the Japanese) a term used for those hardcore fans of these elements, to the extent that they give up their social lives and withdraw into their homes watching anime and playing video games. The emotional attachment to these forms of entertainment becomes evident when numerous instances of funerals held for anime characters come into light. But anime in Japan is not only limited to the private sphere. It’s presence is abundant everywhere, on trains, buses, advertisements, etc. Moreover, anime and manga also provide a deep insight into Japanese culture, in both covert and overt ways. Most animes have episodes dedicated to the cultural festivals, fireworks, cherry blossoms, otaku culture, Japanese way of living, tea ceremonies and so on. The town of Akihabara near Tokyo, is believed to be the Anime centre, the streets of which are lined with numerous anime shops selling anime merchandise of various kinds. There are also many themed cafes like maid and butler cafes, which attract a lot of tourists. Even outside Akihabara, it is not uncommon to find many huge or life-size statues that give tribute to anime characters and their creators. Anime themed parks, which are a sight of awe for tourists as well as the natives are also abundant in Japan, the most famous of them being the Naruto theme park, Attack on Titans theme park, etc. Often, streets of Japan are also lined with cosplayers, impersonating characters from famous animes. In fact, cosplaying is also an important part of Japanese culture, which has immense importance, as evident by the numerous cosplay competitions held throughout the nation. Anime conventions are also likely events in Japan which are attended by Anime fans from Japan and all over the world.

TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE, CUISINE AND ATTIRE

Traditional Japanese Architecture is attributed to a distinct aesthetic, that can be attributed to some unique characteristics used in the making of these homes. The dominant feature of traditional Japanese homes is wood, that is preferred in the making of the house over other materials such as stone, perhaps owing to the unpredictability brought about by earthquakes. Wood is respected by the Japanese to the extent that the wood in homes remain in their natural forms and is not concealed by paint. The doors in these houses are fusuma, or sliding doors while the windows are movable screens (shoji). The floors in Japanese houses are covered with tatami mats, made with straw, that along with the wood provides a distinct smell to the traditional Japanese houses. Outside the houses, are what may be called verandahs, which are a wooden extension to the house, which are often elevated from the ground, sometimes covered with shutters.

Japanese cuisine basically comprises of regional and traditional foods, and primarily focuses on combining steamed rice (gohan) which is their staple with one or more main and side dishes and miso soup or pickles. While this typically describes the traditional meal, there are also many other variants of food that the Japanese are known for like, Sushi, Ramen, tempura, Curry rice, Yakitori, etc.

Sushi

The traditional attires of Japanese men and women, like all other aspects of culture, are also varied. The Japanese Kimono is the most iconic and famous traditional piece of clothing in Japan. Yukata is another traditional attire, which is mainly dorned during summer, due to the breezy material, unlike Kimono which are reserved for more fancy and formal occasions. Other pieces of traditional Japanese clothing include Haori, Jinbei, Hakama, etc.

Traditional Japanese Clothing

Japanese women donning Kimono

INDIA AND JAPAN – THE CULTURAL TIES

India and Japan have continued to maintain strong cultural ties, ever since the arrival of Buddhism in Japan, from India. The countries have often engaged in mutual cultural exchanges and also follow some similar cultural traditions and ideas along with Buddhism, like the commitment to Democracy, pluralism, open societies, tolerance, etc. The Namaste India Festival which is held in Tokyo every year is aimed at realizing the agreement between the two countries about holding cultural festivals, on 2007, which marked the 50^th anniversary of the Indo-Japan cultural agreement. These festivals aim at bringing an insight of each country’s culture, that includes food, music, souvenirs, clothes, etc, to the other.

PM Narendra Modi with PM Shinzo Abe performing Ganga Arti in Varanasi

CONCLUSION

The above quote by Hector Garcia, in  ‘Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life’ therefore sums up the very dynamic and cheerful  Japanese culture, which has fascinated many souls over the years. Therefore, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the Japanese culture which comes to life in it’s cultural festivals, anime, cuisine, architecture, an unbreakable link with nature and various other quirky things that people associate with Japan have been able to become an object of awe and interest for people all over the world.

“The Japanese are skilled at bringing nature and technology together: not man versus nature, but rather a union of the two.”

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Who hasn’t heard of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki incidents? Atomic bombs were detonated in these Japanese cities by the Allies during World War II in the year 1945. This led to mass destruction in the country. Over a million people were killed and these two bombings remain the only use of nuclear weapons in an armed conflict. 

Japan is renowned for its extraordinarily rapid economic growth in the 20th century, especially in the first several decades after WWII. Currently, the economy of Japan is the third-largest in the world in terms of nominal GDP. Although Japan is deficient in natural resources, it makes up for it by exporting technologically advanced goods and services since it has highly developed manufacturing and service sectors. Significant contributions have been made in the field of science and technology making it a global leader in the automotive and electronic industries. 

What’s most surprising about the economy of Japan is that even after being destroyed, Japan saw a GDP growth of 10% in the initial period after the war. Too good to be true, right?!  Let us dive deeper into the history of Japan’s economy to look at the factors that led to such a miraculous growth.

PRE WAR

Japan was considered a country that was rich in precious metals like gold, silver, and copper. But, by the time it became possible for Japan to extract such minerals, exports for those were banned. Japan enjoyed good trade relations with the Europeans because they were head over heels for Japanese craftsmanship and metalsmithing. It was also during the time trade flourished that Japan set its foot in the sea and prepared its warships. However, Japan went into a period of isolation in the 1600s and put significant regulations on foreign trade in order to eradicate the spread of Christianization. The economic growth was mild and stable during this period. Porcelain exports rose tremendously in the later period as the Chinese porcelain exporters were out of action. By the 19th century, the country began to open up. 

Major economic development included urbanization along with the diffusion of trade and handicraft industries. The shipping of commodities increased. Sectors like banking and agricultural production witnessed expansion.  Moreover, Japan actively studied western sciences and techniques during this period with the main focus on geography, medical and physical sciences, art, etc. Economic developments of the prewar period began with the “Rich State and Strong Army“. The government also built railroads, improved roads, and inaugurated a land reform program to prepare the country for further development along with adopting a Western education system and focusing on teaching the students with modern science, mathematics, and technology by hiring Westerners.

In a bid to promote industrialization, the government constructed several factories and shipyards that were sold to entrepreneurs at half their price. Such was the success of these businesses that the government emerged as a chief promoter of private enterprise, sanctioning a series of pro-business policies. 

POST WAR

After World War II, most of the industries in Japan had suffered greatly. However, the massive economic growth they achieved astonished the entire world. Industrial growth went up from 27.6% in 1946 to 350 % in 1960, with 1951 being the point that initiated recovery.

This happened primarily because of two major factors.

• The economic reforms brought in by the “Ministry of Industry”. The focus was shifted to the production of raw materials such as steel, coal, and cotton. Additionally, in an attempt to strengthen the workforce, Japan enhanced the inclusion and recruitment of female workers along with some other labor regulations.

• The outbreak of the Korean War in 1950. With the advent of the war, there was a huge demand for Japanese equipment owing to the logistical problems faced by the Korean military in getting supplies from the US. This was accompanied by an investment drive that laid the foundations for a long period of remarkable economic growth.

Since most of the industries were destroyed in the war, on rebuilding they were able to produce more efficiently. Along with these land reforms and mechanization were introduced that boomed agricultural productivity.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, the average real GDP growth in the 1960s remained to be 10%. This was achieved by focusing on the consumer and structural economy that focused on high quality technologically advanced products for domestic as well as foreign consumption along with improvement in transportation. The growth declined to 5% in the 1970s and continued to decrease significantly in the consecutive decades. After the collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble, the economy came to a standstill in the 1990s, which came to be known as the Lost Decade. Real estate and stock markets were greatly inflated which led to stagnation and the country ran into massive budget deficits.

Quantitative easing was used by the Bank of Japan to expand the country’s money supply. However, it failed to induce any growth initially. Later, it began affecting inflationary expectations. In late 2005, the economy finally began its journey on a path of recovery. GDP growth rate that year averaged 2.8%. Unlike previous recovery trends, domestic consumption was credited to be the dominant factor of growth in this scenario.

Despite having interest rates touching zero, the quantitative easing strategy did not succeed in stopping price deflation. Thus, in July 2006, the zero-rate policy was ended but deflation had still not been eliminated. Nevertheless, the economy was able to turn over a new leaf in 2013 because of a smart strategy adopted by the Bank of Japan. In recent years, Japan has been the top export market for almost 15 trading nations worldwide.

Current Scenario

Japan has been facing a major problem of ageing and declining population. The current population of 126.5 million is predicted to decline to 100 million by 2050. This has severe repercussions for the country. Moreover, being an island country it has suffered significant losses due to tsunamis in terms of life as well as property. In addition to this, the tourism industry has not been able to attract many tourists and hence doesn’t earn as much foreign exchange as it should. Besides, since the country’s terrain is not fit for agriculture, it has to import most agricultural products. Moreover, with the current COVID situation and factories being shut down, the country has crashed into another economic crisis after World War II.

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The G7 or ‘Group of Seven’ was authentically a ‘Group of Six’ initially in 1975, which included France, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and West Germany but later in 1976, Canada became a part of the grouping resulting to the formation of G7. Eventually in 1998 Russia joined in the gathering and was called G8 but post-Crimea’s annexation, the democratic alliance excluded Moscow from the group. It is a grouping of the most industrialized countries all over the world and after UNSC(United Nations Security Council) is the second most important gathering for discussing global issues regarding security, economy, and energy.

As soon as the recent call was taken by POTUS, have created a dilemma that whether G7 is transforming itself by involving developing and middle-income countries together? Along with India POTUS has also invited Australia, South Korea, and astonishingly Russia again analyzing its strategic importance in the changing world order with an intention of keeping it far from Beijing. Considering the importance of India which has its global contributions in sectors like renewable energy, pharmaceutical medicines, steel manufacturing, etc. and its presence in the Indian Ocean has boosted up its strategic relevance in the region as well as over the world.

Is there something else that India holds more value that has brought it in the cynosure? Yes, it is the huge market that it holds and the intentions of the Indian government to invite massive foreign investments have brought a massive opportunity for foreign investors and manufacturing companies. The $3 trillion economy is the 3rd largest economy when calculated on (PPP) basis and the 5th largest economy when ranked by nominal GDP. The country is the fastest growing economy in the world. Ignoring India and other such growing economies have made POTUS rethink the current G7 structure which makes it outdated.

While Russia has accepted the invitation by the US president along with a condition of equal participation and yet has whispered the ignorance of China in the important group which is expanding, despite Beijing previously had been a part of G8+5. China being the second-largest economy and its growing ambitions over the world with respect to its BRI project makes the few, feel optimistic but it’s for sure that Washington is glaring at it with a threat over its hegemony. Re-arrangement of the 1976 grouping is being seen as a result of the expanding Chinese ambitions, its non-transparent behaviour amid a pandemic and it’s naval dominance in the maritime regions.

Though this new bloc being created should not set its agenda as Anti-Chinese but bring back Beijing under the global, institutional-based world order i.e to make China realize the value of discipline-based existence without exploiting the smaller nations to fulfil “CHINA DREAM” or “CPEC” passing from POK and recent activities of intrusion in Ladakh despite New Delhi being holding a claim over the disputed region. Beijing is ought to get over its old strategy of  “DEBT TRAPPING” against small and economically weaker nations.

The current pandemic has definitely brought a new opportunity for each and every country to get back on track and revitalize their circumstances being faced since the past. As regards USA which is moving ahead towards its presidential election in the month of November is uncertain about the re-election of Mr Trump, but no one can forget the unilateral decisions that POTUS has taken every moment keeping ahead the slogan “AMERICA FIRST” or promoting protectionism against globalization is quite similar to Xi administration policies depicting “CHINA FIRST“. The USA will have to rethink over its past decisions and should progress ahead with multilateral dialogues. US administration should consider its allies before taking universally bothered decisions instead of facilitating it unilaterally.

Experiencing from the past actions of the USA like moving out from “Climate Change Mitigation Agreement” or “Withdrawal from JCPOA” would make other countries to think twice before getting allied and these points should be given thought upon by the POTUS with a further expectation demanding global support against China’s unilateralism.

If the vision of new G10 or G11(Indonesia may be invited in the new formation of G7) becomes a reality then it would look like an altered version of G20 yet with great importance. The next summit would be a second time that India under the leadership of PM Modi would show its presence. Last year French President Emanuel Macron had invited PM Modi to the summit. Prior to this PM Manmohan Singh had represented India in five successive G8 summits. Primarily, seat at the ‘high table’ for India would be a great platform to keep its foreign policy and security concerned interests as well as for its backing to confirm a permanent seat in UNSC along with a global consensus for its inclusion in the nuclear club. India’s dominance in the Indian Ocean would also get a global agreement to promote free trade in the region.

The affirmed mouthpiece of Chinese government ‘Global Times’ have lately warned India to refrain from getting into a proposed invitation in the G7 summit claiming it to be a “small circle that perceives China as an imaginary enemy”. Unlike a ping pong ball, being hitten from both the sides, New Delhi should take a pragmatic decision before allying with any of the bodies or nations. It should keep its neighbouring policies under consideration, as we see the ongoing tussle between India and China near LAC may have an undesired repercussions post-pro-G7 resolution, though firm decisions are always welcomed keeping India’s interest ahead.

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