The year 2015 marks the 70th year since the end of the Second World War. In these 70 years both Japan and the Japanese have changed greatly. Because of this, a discussion about Japanese values and the essential nature of Japanese people has begun once again. From the orderly conduct displayed during the Great East Japan Earthquake, to the honesty of people who bring lost money or property to the police, the well-developed morals of Japanese people have been admired by the people of the world. However, on the other hand, because of prewar militarism, some countries still view the Japanese as being an aggressive race. Well-known books that explore the essence of what it means to be Japanese include: “Bushido” by NITOBE Inazo and “The Dignity of the Nation” by FUJIWARA Masahiko. It is believed that the samurai code – which instructed samurai to give up their lives for their master as a matter of course – was instrumental in shaping Japanese values today. Before the war, citizens believed that it was their duty to sacrifice themselves for the good of the nation. This behavior was regarded as being noble. During the period of high economic growth following the war, many Japanese became corporate warriors who, instead of serving a master, or their nation, dedicated their lives to their company. Management and employees were in the same boat sailing towards the same goal. Employees believed it was their mission to loyally serve the company’s interests, and companies looked after employees as if they were members of the same family. At that time Japan was a familial nation in which the rich helped the poor, and it was said that “all Japanese are middle class.” Such totalitarian values easily prevailed, becoming firmly rooted in the structure of Japan’s racially homogenous, monolingual island nation. The essence of Japanese behavior seen in different times is basically the same. This phenomenon occurs when a certain idea is supported by a certain percentage across the board. For instance, in spite of being a sake producing country, the release of the French wine Beaujolais Nouveau has become an annual autumn event. In spite of being a non-Christian country, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Christmas have been accepted into the national calendar of events. Japanese people feel secure when acting in accordance with others. In other words, the Japanese are especially concerned with how they are viewed and don’t want to fall behind others. From a business perspective, Japan is a market where huge sales are possible. However, globalization that has led to a stratified society has created new values in young people. Some decades ago young people were urged to embrace consumerism – to own a car and travel to foreign countries. In contrast, nowadays young people tend to be satisfied with an income that covers their basic living expenses. They have been raised in a society in which you can get by as long as you don’t have an extravagant lifestyle. They are discovering the value of a simple life achieved through cooperating with others. This is related to the Zen philosophy of “being satisfied with what you have,” which along with bushido, greatly influenced Japanese mentality.