While I agree with the vast majority of your criticisms, I wouldn't be surprised if you're underestimating the language barrier issue.
>Is the claim that the Japanese are technologically behind the rest of the world? Why would web development/design be different than almost every other technical industry?
Many programming languages are based on English and the Latin script. Programming, and more specifically web programming, requires a level of fluency with English and its alphabet that I would expect significantly decreases the available talent pool in non-Anglo countries, especially countries with different writing systems[1].
No other technologies lean so heavily a specific language. Math and science are universal and independent of any language. Computer science is universal. Computer programming is not.
[1]Comparing a country like Vietnam (that uses a Latin script) to another equivalent Asian country might be interesting.
>Is the claim that the Japanese are technologically behind the rest of the world? Why would web development/design be different than almost every other technical industry?
Many programming languages are based on English and the Latin script. Programming, and more specifically web programming, requires a level of fluency with English and its alphabet that I would expect significantly decreases the available talent pool in non-Anglo countries, especially countries with different writing systems[1].
No other technologies lean so heavily a specific language. Math and science are universal and independent of any language. Computer science is universal. Computer programming is not.
[1]Comparing a country like Vietnam (that uses a Latin script) to another equivalent Asian country might be interesting.