Soft power is an elusive but (forgive the pun) powerful concept. It describes all the things a country or company does to enhance its reputation and influence. Unlike hard power in the form of military or economic might, it is impossible to measure. But who would argue that Hollywood movies and American pop culture have shaped how most of the world thinks about what it takes to lead the good life? And who would deny that this idea of the good life has benefitted US businesses? Just think of modern consumerism, which is largely an American invention. In contrast, many Europeans still balk at the idea of openly displaying status and wealth through expensive cars, flashy watches, and big houses.
But soft power comes in many forms and one country has managed to project soft power through the most unusual means: soft and cuddly cartoon characters.
What comes to mind when you think of Japan? Obviously, a lot of culture and history, from sushi to Samurai. But one thing that is quintessential Japanese is childlike cartoon characters like Hello Kitty. They are truly ubiquitous in Japan with construction sites being fenced off with Hello Kitty barriers and most companies sporting their own company mascots with large eyes and childlike features.
Now, what do you think of Japan and the Japanese when you think of these cartoon figures? I think most people may find this somewhat odd, but overall cute and endearing. In other words, these cartoon figures manage to give Japan a positive image abroad.
This is a large shift in the image of Japan, since up until the end of World War II, Japan was not a country that most foreigners thought positively about given its imperial expansion in Russia, China, Korea, and most of East Asia. Japanese were generally perceived as racist, elitist, and aggressive, not cute, cuddly, and harmless.
It is these cartoon figures that have contributed massively to the change in perception about Japan and the Japanese in the last 80 years, as Oana-Maria Birlea documents. After all, this Hello Kitty phenomenon was invented only after the defeat of Japan in World War II and didn’t exist before.
And lest you think that Hello Kitty and co. are not a means of soft power, you need to realise that even the United Nations now licence Hello Kitty to improve its image and promote the sustainable development goals.
Japan’s influence over the UN and other nations has increased thanks to these cartoon figures. You can’t measure it, but it arguably is there and is of commercial and political value. Heck, the Japanese exercise of soft power through cartoon figures is so powerful that even the Japanese military (known officially as the Japanese Self Defense Forces) has its own mascots in the form of Prince Pickles and Princess Parsley. Prince Pickles and Princess Parsley were used to give Japanese soldiers a more positive image in Iraq and other countries, with the effect of enhancing the safety of these soldiers from terror attacks, etc. They do things differently in Japan from the rest of the world. And when it comes to the exercise of soft power that is certainly true.
Prince Pickles and Princess Parsley, the official mascots of the Japanese military
Source: The internet.
I used to find Hello Kitty cutsey kitsch, but reading an interview in the FT with the CEO of Sanrio softened my stance considerably https://www.ft.com/content/370f5306-230c-11df-a25f-00144feab49a : "Unlike cartoon rivals from Mickey Mouse to Winnie-the-Pooh, Sanrio’s characters were not spun off from stories but designed to convey a message – something Mr Tsuji says is vital to their durability and global appeal. An example is Hello Kitty’s three characteristics. "The first is kawaii [cuteness] so she is loved by everyone. The second is her ribbon – a ribbon is something that joins people together, so it means friendship. The third is that Kitty-chan has no mouth – she has to take your hand and help you. Cuteness, friendship, helping each other: that is Kitty’s message,” Mr Tsuji says."
Some fun facts about her https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello_Kitty : She is British and lives in suburban London. Her name was from Alice's cat in Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass". She has a twin sister Mimmy. "Her height is described as five apples and her weight as three apples." Sanrio was sued over her similarity to a Dutch cartoon character https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miffy . She herself has a pet cat named Charmmy Kitty, and a boyfriend named Dear Daniel.
P.S. I actually flew on the EVA Air Hello Kitty-liveried A330-200 pictured in the Wikipedia entry https://1drv.ms/i/s!At9od58qwtRehdRJi1tOyLbkRXmtBA .
This comment may not be worthy of the value Klement on Investing offers. My latest impression of Japan was a Prime, one season series from Japan called THE SILENT SERVICE. Like Hunt for Red October but the Americans are the bad guys, coming off as arrogant and incompetent. Surprised me coming from our strong ally in the east. Maybe not typical.