"The factory owner believed that if all Asian countries were run with a kind of Japanese efficiency, attention to detail, and high level of organization, Asia as a whole would prosper and rise" (Lee 182).
This quote shows how Japanese culture is often perceived as highly organized, efficient, and detail-oriented. These values are all in line with striving for perfection in every facet of life. It can be seen this way by both people within the culture and onlookers. Lee contrasts Japanese and Korean culture with quotes like the one above against ones describing Koreans as dirty and poor by their Japanese counterparts.
This quote reveals a belief that Japanese culture is superior to other cultures like the Koreans. It suggests this through the owner's belief that all Asian countries should be run the same way Japan is. He sees other cultures, like the Koreans, as being inferior.
Lee may be describing the way that cultural beliefs and values can be sources of uniting and dividing. It can make individuals within a country more connected and patriotic while making those same individuals far less open to other cultures.
Even though the pursuit of efficiency is necessary for growth, development, and improvement, the way Lee describes some Japanese people pushing for this seems to be doing more harm than good. The underlying intentions sometimes seem to be more directed against other cultures rather than the improvement of their own.
I agree that much of the language we have seen in Pachinko comparing Japanese and Korean cultures has shown discriminatory and nationalist beliefs held at the time. This quote also stood out starkly to me when I read it in the book. She doesn't spend quite as much time addressing actual cultural traits that Japanese and Koreans have in common or differ in, but I think this is because Min Jin Lee is strongly of the belief that we are all human and have so much more in common than not.
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