Japan is viewed by many as a cohesive society that lacks individualism. This lack of individualism may be explained through a combination of different suppositions. The concept of amae and the ie system are two widely accepted concepts that help to explain the cohesive unity of the Japanese people as a nation.

Amae, which is considered to be a “unique psychological inclination among the Japanese to seek emotional satisfaction by prevailing upon and depending upon their superiors.” is a mind-set in which there i

The ie system, which represents the family system may also be seen as an attribute of Japanese society which sets it apart from Western society. Although farmland has always been scarce in Japan, before the concepts of modernization and global trade were introduced to Japan, farmlands were not only important to villagers, but to all people living in Japan. Without farmland, there would be little agrarian production, which would eliminate the entire country’s primary source of food. Due to unpredictable weather climates (the “monsoon climate” theory ), individuals within families and families within villages were forced to band together, relying upon community co-operation for the success of their crops. It can be argued that this ie system contributed to the loss of individualism beginning within the family and only ending at Japanese society as a whole. The loyalties that come out of the ie’s pyramidal structure of organization, may help to explain the cohesive nature of the Japanese people and the sense of nationalism which they stand behind.

The majority of Japanese people are invo

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