India, Sept. 23 -- The Japanese way of life has had the wonderful gift of assimilating new ideas in its own way and making it distinctively Japanese. The Meiji restoration of 1871 inaugurated the epoch of Japanese modernisation. But Japan never borrowed wholesale from the west. It preserved its own essence or kakutai even while following the path of Fukoku Kyohei ('rich country strong army'). The Japanese zaibatsus powered rapid industrialisation and technological innovation without adopting the western ideas of management. Japanese have always been conscious of their eastern inheritance and valued the ties that they have shared with India. The passion Japanese have developed for yoga and the way they have added unique Japanese elements t...