born after World War II, much like the baby boomers in the United States, have grown up, taken positions of responsibility, and are challenging the old traditions (Miller & Uchida, 1993, p. 128).
The baby boomers of Japan are eager to end corrupt politics, the bureaucracy, and deregulate their economy (Miller & Uchida, 1993, p. 128). This does not mean that they are becoming Westernized, as some scholars have argued. Rather, they are using their skills to articulate a Japanese perspective with which Westerners may disagree. According to sociologist Chie Nakane, the process of slow, cooperative decision-making that she described in her 1970 book, Japanese Society, still operates today (Miller & Uchida, 1993, p. 128). This is the type of conformity that even the younger generation still appreciates.
The baby boomers of Japan challenged authority in the 1960s and were the first generation to study abroad. Today, their household income is three times that of Japanese who were in their 40s a generation ago. In contrast to older Japanese, some of their most accomplished members are women. Compared with their elders, the dankai sedai, as they are called, are independent and opinionated and possess a high degree of self-confidence--despite the current economic recession. They are not afraid to speak out on formerly ignored subjects, such as the environment. Thus, their independence has been accepted in Japan and
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