KYOTO — Kansai's annual gathering of business leaders closed Friday in Kyoto, wrapping up two days of warnings that Japan is losing its place on the world stage due to the country's political situation and because its people have become too inward-looking.
"Japan has a duty to join the international community in tackling problems such as international conflicts, nuclear weapons proliferation and global warming. But Japan's contributions have been insufficient and the country's international visibility is declining because Japanese have become self-centered and inward-looking," Kansai Economic Federation Chairman Hiroshi Shimozuma said in his opening address Thursday to nearly 450 attendees.
Many participants complained bitterly about what they see as self-centered behavior by corporations and individuals, especially among the younger generation, leading one observer, U.S. Consul General Daniel Russel, to characterize the speeches and comments he heard as "dark."