Japan has been trying to get out of Asia and into Europe, so why hasn't it abolished Chinese characters in favor of English?

From the viewpoint of modern history, the whole presentation is the conquest and assimilation of the world by the western culture, and in this process, many traditional language and culture circles collapsed, and all of them gradually converted to the western culture. The most typical is the Chinese culture circle, in the modern western invasion, Vietnam, Korean Peninsula, Mongolia and other Chinese culture circle countries, successively give up the Chinese language, change to the western script, or use the local script, make the Chinese culture circle in the modern colonial impact of the collapse. However, it is very strange that Japan, which has been clamoring to leave Asia and enter Europe and attacking Chinese culture in modern times, has not chosen to use the Western English script but continues to use Chinese characters. There are three main reasons.

After the Black Ship incident, the door to the country was opened to Japan, which had been influenced by Chinese culture for 2000 years. In the face of the West's strong ships and incomparable power, Japan showed great rebelliousness, wanting to learn from the West and powerful. So it put forward the national policy of getting out of Asia and into Europe, which basically means not to be an Asian, but to be a European and become a Westerner.

Therefore, at that time, Japan, no matter from the culture, from the national system, enterprise development, from the personal attire, from the science and technology and so on all aspects of the comprehensive study of the West. Even Japan put forward a seed exchange program, pleading with the Western white people can marry Japanese women, and then give birth to Western hybrid ...... Therefore, at that time, the emperor, down to the people, all wear suits, eat Western food, learn Western etiquette, etc., can be described as to the degree of madness.

It can be said that hate overnight, Japan inside and outside the outside are changed into the West, but Japan's modern off Asia into Europe for more than 100 years, it can be said that all aspects of that is basically Westernized, but only in the text did not change, which is difficult to let people understand. In modern times, Britain, and the United States after World War II, have suggested that Japan abolish the Chinese characters, and Vietnam, like the use of the Roman alphabet, the use of the English alphabet, to replace the Chinese characters, but Japan has refused.

As a result, Japan has become the only country in the Chinese-speaking world that has not yet abolished Chinese characters, and still uses them. Many people do not understand, Japan is to be transformed, from Asia into Europe, why only in the language does not move, not abolish the Chinese characters, do not use the English alphabet? In fact, the reason is very simple, mainly three points.

First, the Emperor was against it.

Thousands of years in ancient Japan, that was built under the traditional Confucian culture, that is, the king and the ministers and the father and the son. And this culture is what laid the ethical foundation of the emperor, and to maintain this culture, then the most central is Confucian culture, Chinese culture, out of this, once the use of Roman script, these so-called moral and social control norms, immediately have to collapse.

The rationality of the existence of the emperor is going to be very much questioned, and the emperor could lose his rationality. That is why it is a major reason why Japan does not abolish kanji and does not use the English alphabet, and the first thing that is opposed is the emperor.

Second, the loss of history.

Japanese history and Chinese culture that is tightly linked, including the ancient Japanese historical books, historical antiquities, that are the embodiment of Chinese culture, these are the Japanese people constitute the core of the historical belonging. But if the Chinese language is abolished, and the English alphabet is used, and the Roman script is used, then it will be very difficult for future generations to read and understand the history and culture. That would be a fatal blow to a nation, that would be a fatal injury, and that is something that Japan cannot afford. So, this is also very important, and this is why Japan is reluctant to give up Chinese characters.

Third, Shintoism.

Japanese culture has integrated its own religion, Shintoism, with Confucianism, and with the emperor in 2000 years of integration. And Shintoism, as the soul of Japan, itself took a big hit in the modern de-Asianization into Europe, and a large number of Japanese began to convert to Christianity, began to believe in Catholicism and so on. Just like Korea now, and that was a very big threat to Shintoism, so Shintoism, as the soul of Japan, played a very important role in opposing Western culture.

Once the Chinese characters are all gone and the Western English script is used, then the position of Shintoism is that precarious. So the ultimate protection of the Chinese language and the survival of the Chinese characters are the three most traditional forces in Japan, which are the Emperor, Shintoism, and historical and cultural traditions, and once one of these three is lost, Japan will be a country without a country.

Reference: History of Japan.