Though most of these adopted English words have exact approximations in the Japanese lan-guage, the Japanese, due to their passionate love of things Western, are mutilating their own language by adopting more and more English words—mostly nouns—almost indiscriminately. There reigns a veritable Babel of confusion in the Japanese language today as a result of this totally uncalled-for adoption of English words, to the utter despair of purists and conservatives. The Japanese have in their long history never had much genuine pride in their own culture, which in itself is a borrowing or adaptation of Chinese and other foreign cultures. This selflessness, coupled with their avid curiosity for things Western, has resulted in this lamentable mutilation of their own language. To a Western observer this craze for English words may appear to be another instance of Japanese imbecility.
It is well-nigh impossible to keep secrets in Japan today. For this, the lack of the Western concept of individualism among the Japanese is largely responsible. Information of a confidential nature is easily passed on since the individual concerned is simply unable to resist the temptation of giving away the information to someone else. The Japanese ego is weak. In the absence of any legislation penalizing the dissemination of important state secrets, there is nothing in Japan today which prevents confidential information from being leaked to whoever is fishing for such.
Soon after the surrender of Japan in August, 1945, General MacArthur arrived in Japan and set up his headquarters in Yokohama. The General Headquarters had prepared a proclamation to introduce a direct military rule, including the use of military scrip in lieu of Japanese yen, and the setting up of military courts all over the country. The Japanese government had heard of the project and was very perturbed over the possible effects of the proposed measures on the populace.
Thereupon, high government officials made an eleventh-hour appeal to MacArthur not to introduce such harsh measures for fear that they might antagonize the Japanese. MacArthur acceded to the Japanese government's plea, and direct military rule was forthwith rescinded at his own discretion. The negotiations had of course been conducted in strict secrecy, but in no time the information was leaked to the press and was even reported to the United States by American correspondents. The American government was said to have been displeased over the liberty taken by the General to modify the original occupation directives, especially in deference to the Japanese wishes. It has been said that General MacArthur was mildly rebuked. I heard that the General at the time confided to one of his aides that he was so disgusted with Japanese ministers' inability to guard secrets that he henceforth would receive no one from the Japanese cabinet. During the seven years following that incident he indeed never once again received any of the Japanese cabinet ministers.
While Japanese traditionally are friendly, generous, and patient and do not lack in intelligence, they often betray immaturity in their thinking. The fact that Japan had been cut off for centuries from the outside world accounts for the lack of confidence on the part of Japanese in their dealings with other peoples. As a people nurtured in the isolated surroundings of their small islands and having had little contact with foreigners, the Japanese are good natured and tend to think of other peoples in terms of their own. The Japanese are often swayed by emotion and harp on vague generalities and are apt to lose sight of realities.
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