'Peak Japan' is now, so seize the moment, Japan

The two most obvious juxtapositions right now in U.S.-Japan relations are the World Series and the outcome of each of our country's elections. The sport of baseball has brought the U.S. and Japan together for over 150 years — and today it is undoubtedly at its peak.

This year’s World Series is truly a world series because of the phenomenon that Shohei Ohtani has created in Japan — with the Dodgers becoming the de facto Japanese national team while you've got one of the best teams in the history of baseball with the Yankees. And the Japan Series, which is a lot more modestly named, is happening simultaneously. That's the good news in October that we'd all hoped for in U.S.-Japan relations.

Unfortunately, October surprises are also playing out in very different ways politically. We just had an upset vote in Japan and the highly charged U.S. elections are about to take place on Nov. 5th. In each of our countries, both sides are worried about the elections, with outcomes that feel uncertain. No matter who wins, it feels like society is losing.

So, while baseball is unifying us, politics is dividing us. But let's remember that in sports you can root for Ohtani and the Yankees at the same time! No matter who wins the World Series or the Japan Series, we all win with U.S.-Japan relations. That's the type of bi-lateral relationship that I wish and pray for in the future. And Japan's time is now.

'Peak Japan' is everywhere

Japan has never been hotter! It is the number one country in the world right now, as voted on by everyone else except for the Japanese. It's the number one tourist destination. It's got more content and more interest coming at it than ever before. The nation's brand has never been higher.

But unlike India or South Korea, Japan is not capitalizing on this moment effectively. It's mostly non-Japanese who are taking advantage of Japanese content, culture and food to name just a few, while the Japanese are sidelined and complaining about it. Wake up, Japan, you've been training for "Peak Japan" for the past 30 years, and it’s here! Others have used the term Peak Japan to mean that Japan has peaked and passed its moment — let’s reject that negativity and embrace the wonder that is the country now.

Peak Japan is everywhere. It is a global phenomenon showcasing Japanese brilliance in the arts and culture arena, from Zen, martial arts, food, fantasy and anime, to the traditional and contemporary fine and performing arts, film, economics, finance and sports.

FX’s "Shogun" series just made history with 18 Emmys, and the first two Asians — and Japanese — to win Emmys are Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai. Shohei Ohtani has transformed the fundamentally American game of baseball into not only a global game, but a Japanese-led game. The all-time high of the Nikkei, along with the overall health of the Japanese economy, means that this moment is truly a golden opportunity for Japan to take a global role through its cultural rather than political leadership.

A season of miracles

I like to think about Peak Japan in the same way as the autumn season when the leaves are changing. There is a moment at which their brilliance is at its most extreme, and then, over time, the leaves fade and fall so that nature can rest during the winter until the spring brings a fresh cycle of life.

It's a cyclical seasonal process, something that’s also very Japanese. Even in its season of brilliance, Japan needs to acknowledge that it is, in fact, in Peak Japan and make the most of it. A longstanding history of cultural modesty doesn't serve anyone at this time of global interest, especially Japan. This peak moment can’t last forever and what’s mainstream now may not always be that way.

As Sanada declared on stage in Hollywood, for all the world to see, "Shogun" taught him that when we work together, we can make miracles. Although our governments and political leaders may not see it this way, there is a place for arts and culture in business and politics.

As an American who grew up in Japan's most northern island of Hokkaido, I am a Dosanko-American (Hokkaido-raised American) — the United States is my homeland and Japan is my heartland. That's why I do what I do at Japan Society and it’s deeply personal. My wish for Peak Japan today is that we can work together — people to people, country to country — to make the most of this turning point in history, for our own sakes, for our countries and for the generations to come.