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●世界を席巻する、日本のポップカルチャー

And then the second lesson, the second lesson is that the Japanese, this elements of Japanese culture is a key to understanding so much also about Japan.

　私が『日本　呪縛の構図』で示したかった第二の話題は、日本文化の要素を知ることが日本をよりよく理解する鍵になるということです。

Back in the 1990s, when I would go back to the States for holidays or something like that, I discovered that Japanese popular culture was making inroads abroad particularly in the United States that I was unaware of. My nephews were then small boys, and they were carrying on about the Ninja Turtles and Pokemon and so forth and they were really impressed that their uncle came from the land of Ninja and Pokemon.

　1990年代に話を戻します。私は休暇などで一時的にアメリカに戻ると、特に日本のポップカルチャーがずいぶんと浸透していることを発見しました。当時まだ幼かった私の甥がニンジャ・タートルズやポケモンのゲームを持ち歩いていることは知らなかったのですが、彼らにとって、おじの私が忍者とポケモンの国から来たことは、とても印象的なことだったようです。

Very surprised at this, yes. And I mean, you see today this global fascination with aspects of Japan’s contemporary culture. I mean, the term otaku for example, has become widely understood, as if things like cosplay, Hello Kitty, anime and manga, all that sort of stuff.

　今でこそ、日本の現代文化に世界が魅了されるのは当たり前のことになりましたが、当時はずいぶん驚きました。「オタク」という言葉はすでに世界的によく広まっていますし、コスプレやハローキティ、アニメ、漫画なども同様です。

Now, what's interesting is this is not the first time this has happened in the history. There was a similar impact on Europe of late Edo period popular culture, particularly in the ukiyo-e. And this two phenomenon in the late 19th century and what’s been happening in last 20 years are similar in that what made an impact, a big impact overseas was not established cultural forms, but rather things that were be...