Myth and stereotype

Public images of Japan as expressed in the media, or by politicians or state institutions, show a similarity not only in content, but also in construction and maintenance mechanisms. This work examines the West German press discourse on Japan and how the power relationship between collective Self and collective Other influences image content. Historical changes in images and their inherent assumptions about Japanese society are analysed and compared with Japanese presentations of Self. Differences and similarities are discussed in terms of factors affecting the feedback relationship between discourse and counterdiscourse.