During World War II, Japan, although most of its territory was not devastated by face-to-face warfare, was bombed into ruins by the powerful air power of the Allied forces. In particular, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were wiped out by atomic bombs, and Tokyo was burned into purgatory by petrol bombs.
However, only eight years later, Japan has basically recovered its vitality and is on the right track towards economic and social development and progress.
The film "Tokyo Story" shows the urban and rural areas of Japan in 1953. Tokyo's wide and tidy streets, fast trains, rushing commuters, telephones that are basically popular in homes, and orderly companies and factories show the prosperity of a big city. Quiet rural towns, seaside resort towns, playing children, friendly neighbors, and clean alleys show the harmony between the small town and the countryside. And these, for a country that was in ruins eight years ago, are truly incredible.
The main reasons why Japan got on the right track so quickly and rose so quickly are:
First, Japan has carried out a relatively extensive social reform, further abolished the feudal and backward factors in the production relations, and laid the foundation for economic development. New thinking and new technologies are impacting every Japanese, and the Japanese production relations, political and economic relations, family relations, and interpersonal relationships have undergone changes that are conducive to economic and social development.
The second is the support of the United States to Japan. The United States has invested heavily in Japan to make Japan a bridgehead for NATO against China and the Far East.
The third is to implement the demilitarization of the national economy and make every effort to carry out economic construction, truly achieving the rapid improvement of people's livelihood with economic construction as the center.
The fourth is to formulate an export-oriented economic development strategy, introduce the most advanced science and technology, adjust the domestic industrial structure, and promote exports. For the next half century, Japanese electrical appliances spread all over the world.
The fifth is to continue the national policy of actively developing education and cultivate talents. In 1950, the penetration rate of nine-year compulsory education in Japan had reached 99%. The development of education has provided high-quality talents for economic modernization.
Sixth, coincided with the Korean War, Japan became the logistics material supply base of the US military, which further stimulated the development of the Japanese economy and made the Japanese economy rapidly active.
It is based on this that in 1953, Japan's economic development and improvement of people's livelihood far exceeded that of the Soviet Union and China, and were not inferior to the United Kingdom and France, which was impressive.
Therefore, the characters in "Tokyo Story", whether they are smiling or sad, their quality of life in clothing, housing, etc. has already surpassed two-thirds of the people in the world at that time.
Japan is indeed a country for us to learn and wake up to.
View more about Tokyo Story reviews
