In this book, Yuko Kawai departs from the common conception of Japan as an ethnically homogenous nation. A Transnational Critique of Japaneseness: Cultural Nationalism, Racism, and Multiculturalism in Japan investigates the construction of Japaneseness from a transnational perspective, examining ways to make Japanese nationhood more inclusive. Kawai analyzes a variety of communicational practices during the first two decades of the twenty-first century while situating Japaneseness in its longer historical transformation from the late nineteenth century. Kawai focuses on governmental and popular ideas of Japaneseness in light of local, global, historical, and contemporary contexts as well as in relation to a diverse array of Others in both Asia and the West.

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What does being Japanese mean? This simple question has no clear answer. Kawai takes a multipronged approach to finding an ontological resolution to this existential concern. Through concise examinations of a variety of texts, the author explores the construction of Japanese identity through internal and external means. She explains her relatively narrow presentation of samples by defining them as “snapshots” that provide insights into attitudes and beliefs, allowing for greater depth of analysis.... Defying the East/West paradigm, this insightful book provides the tools to understand Japan as a multicultural entity. Recommended.