Assembled in Japan: Electrical Goods and the Making of the Japanese Consumer

319 Pages·2000·9.623 MB·English

by  Simon Partner

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Assembled in Japan
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Assembled in Japan
ELECTRICAL GOODS AND THE
MAKING OF THE JAPANESE CONSUMER
Simon Partner
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS
Berkeley / Los Angeles / London
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Studies of the East Asian Institute,
Columbia University
The East Asian Institute is Columbia University’s
center for research, publication, and teaching on
the modern Asia Pacific region. The Studies of
the East Asian Institute were inaugurated in 1962
to bring to a wider public the results of significant
new research on modern and contemporary
Asia Pacific affairs.
A Study of the East Asian Institute
University of California Press
Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University of California Press, Ltd.
London, England
© 1999by the
Regents of the University of California
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Partner, Simon.
Assembled in Japan : electrical goods and the
making of the Japanese consumer / Simon Partner.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn0-520-21792-6 (alk. paper).—
isbn0-520-21939-2(pbk. : alk paper)
1. Electronic industries—Japan.
2. Consumers—Japan. I. Title.
hd9696.a3j39317 1999
338.49762138190952—ddc21 98-37375
cip
Manufactured in the United States of America
08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00 99
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The paper used in this publication meets the
minimum requirements of ansi/niso z39.48-
1992(r1997) (Permanence of Paper). (cid:176)
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To Big Peter
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Contents
List of Illustrations / ix
List of Tables / xi
Acknowledgments / xiii
Introduction / 1
1 Electrifying Japan:
Techno-Nationalism and the Rise
of the Mass Society / 7
2 Reenvisioning Japan / 44
3 The Vision of America:
Bringing Television to Japan / 71
4 The Technologies of Desire / 107
5 Creating the “Bright Life” / 137
6 Nimble Fingers: The Story
of the Transistor Radio / 193
Conclusion / 225
Appendix: Tables / 243
Notes / 253
Bibliography / 271
Index / 291
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Illustrations
1 The telegraph machine presented by Perry
to the Emperor of Japan / 10
2 An early poster advertising radio / 26
3 A poster sponsored by the army, navy, home,
and communications ministries / 29
4 Sony founders Higuchi, Iwama, Ibuka,
and Morita / 68
5 Shoriki Matsutarocelebrates the award
of a television license / 98
6 A family watches television, c. 1956 / 138
7 A “scientific” illustration of the need to reduce
the housewife’s labor / 155
8 An idealized Western-style family / 156
9 A woman wears a gas mask and Douglas bag
to measure caloric consumption / 159
10 Pro boxing fans watch television in front
of a newspaper office, 1956 / 164
11 “If you don’t buy a television, I won’t eat” / 167
12 A rural family uses a washing machine / 181
13 The Sony TR-55transistor radio / 200
14 Middle-school leavers entering the Matsushita
Company / 214
15 A rural woman assembles transistor radio
components in her home / 218
ix
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