Timothy Harada, a musician whose music we have played on the Japan Talk pocast, has written something titled “Contrasting US and Japanese steretypes of each other Before, During and After World War II” for the the Sendai Voice.

Before, during and after World War II, the stereotypes Japanese held of United States (US) citizens and the stereotypes US citizens held of Japanese citizens changed drastically. At a certain time before World War II, some Japanese held a neutral feeling about people from the US, while others held a positive view of US citizens and US culture. In the US, compared to other Asian nationalities, there were many positive feelings about Japanese citizens as well. Leading up to World War II, however, the US government and US writers created myths that all Japanese were despotically ruled, automatons, who would do anything for the glory of their emperor-that they were the new eastern imperialists. In response, Japanese writers began to create myths that all people from the US were evil, barbarous, imperialists as well. Nonetheless, directly after World War II was over, these myths changed drastically. Amazingly, the negative stereotypes held on both sides changed into positive stereotypes almost overnight. Over the last half of a century, the stereotypes on both sides have oscillated back and forth, between good, neutral and bad, due to many varied circumstances. What caused such drastic changes in stereotypes between citizens of the US and of Japan? What can be done to insure that people of different cultures maintain positive images of one another? What can be done to insure that peace is maintained between the US and Japan?

Read the whole thing here.