Despite Japan’s ranking as the world’s second largest economy, media coverage of emerging markets such as China and India risk creating the perception that Japan’s economic strength is diminishing, according to Jeffrey Rosensweig, associate dean for corporate relations at Emory University’s Goizetta Business School.
“The Japanese economy is still by far the second strongest economy on earth” after the U.S., he said at last week’s joint meeting in Atlanta of the Southeast United States-Japan Association and the Japan-Southeast United States Association.
To counteract the risk of being pushed off the front page of newspapers and to make a favorable impression with Japan’s future leaders, Mr. Rosensweig said both countries must continue to show young people the importance of the Japan-U.S. relationship.
In response to that issue, Atlanta’s Consult General of Japan George Hisaeda invited popular Japanese cartoonist Yutsuko Chusonji to Atlanta last May. She is known for having coined the term oyaji gyaru, which means “gals behaving like middle-aged men.”
After returning to Japan, Ms. Chusonji created a cartoon series entitled “Atlanta Neighbors” that has appeared in Japanese magazines popular with young people.
Cartoon panels that appeared in the Japanese magazine FRAU were displayed at the SEUS-Japan conference.
“My goal was not only to introduce Japan culture to Americans, but also to effectively promote the history, culture and people of the Southeast to Japan,” Mr. Hisaeda said.
Cartoons by Ms. Chusonji featured at the conference included “My First Visit to Atlanta,” “My Lecture at Georgia State University,” “Messenger of Peace: Jimmy Carter;” “Multimillionaire Ted Turner,” “Visiting a Dot Com Millionaire,” “If You Could Do This, You’d Be a Celebrity” and “I Want to Master Horseback Riding.”
For more information, visit www.japanatlanta.org.