The Things I Wanted to Convey to Emmanuel Todd

I received an offer through the Bungei Shunju magazine to have a conversation with Emmanuel Todd, an anthropologist and thinker who currently has more influence than anyone else in this field, and with whom I most strongly empathize. It was very difficult to find a time slot during his busy schedule while he was in Japan that matched a time when I was available, but I really wanted to convey some things to him, so I rescheduled my flight to Shanghai in order to make it possible to meet him in person.

Emmanuel Todd & Kengo Kuma: "The Potential of Japanese Aesthetics." Read the full article at Bungeishunju PLUS.
Image Courtesy of Bungeishunju Ltd.

I do not have an objection to his theory, which he has repeatedly stated, that the tradition of craftsmanship—formed on the base of the vertical integration of the stem family and the system for intergenerational succession—is a significant symbol of Japanese society and has the potential to save the world after the “Defeat of the West.” For several years, I have strived to speak in the first person, saying “We must save the world,” rather than making hopeful, third-party comments that craftsmanship will save it. I have clearly started to become conscious that doing this is my responsibility.

Naturally, I wanted to relay these feelings to Emmanuel Todd, but even more than this, I wanted to talk about the increasing suicidal tendency that has afflicted Japanese society since the year 2000, in spite of the fact that the social system has a lot of potential. Japan has started to disavow its foremost strength, the tradition of craftsmanship, as well as the industry and culture of “architecture” which is based on it. I feel that this is an irrational emotion—a feeling that real things are heavy and out of style—which could be called a dislike of architecture, and in essence, it feels as though Japan is committing suicide. As a result, construction costs have risen by as much as 300% since the coronavirus pandemic, a level not seen anywhere else in the world.

The background for this is definitely a body blow caused by American neoliberalism. Under the banner of freedom and equality, neoliberalism has continued to deliver body blows to Japan’s vertical integration system, and this is causing the “suicide of Japan.” Perhaps, this is also a reaction from within Japan with respect to the abnormal dependence of the Japanese economy and Japanese society on architecture, which played a central role in reconstruction after World War II. These feelings against architecture have resonated with the circumstances after the coronavirus pandemic and the wars that are going on, causing construction costs to triple, and leading to the disappearance of Japanese society.

I strongly wanted to convey the seriousness of this situation and my concerns for the future of Japan to Emmanuel Todd, who may be a little too soft on Japan out of his sheer love for the country.