ose in Japanese society as compared to the late nineteenth century. Values on social relationships increased rather than declined, less value is placed on broad societal concerns, more emphasis on personal feelings and mood, and less value is placed on efficiency and work and more on the balance between work and leisure (Keeplinger 48). The influence of American culture is obvious; the culture of America has influenced the wider culture more than being affected by it. The Asian culture was a self-contained culture; they had their own defined social principles in the realm of human relations, government responsibilities, and moral codes. China was the traditional alley down which the Chinese developed their perceptions of the world (Iriye 34). Before communication was available to the world, Asian officials tended to generalize their opinions about the United States. At the time of the Opium War, Chinese officials felt that American merchants were good barbarians (Iriye 35). It is necessary to note the importance of Americans in the formation of the Chinese view of the United States. Permanent communications were not established until the late 1870s, and contact with foreigners in China was often the only way through which the Chinese further developed their perceptions of the world. Today, much of Asia is underdeveloped, but a number of important exceptions exist. Japan has successfully modernized its economy, as have Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore. The majority of the continent's population is employed in agriculture characterized by low yields and low labor productivity. Rice is the food-staple crop of the south and east, although wheat and other dry grains are also grown, and exported to other countries. In Asia's drier interior regions, the raising of cattle, sheep, and horses are important. Lumbering is an important industry in most Southeast Asian countries. Marine fisheries are extremely important throughout coastal A...
