Japan: A Postindustrial Power--third Edition, Revised And Updated (3) (Crowell Comparative Government Ser.)

Synopsis

Japan has been among the first of the handful of countries to move "beyond modern," and in this third edition of a much-praised book, Ardath Burks brings the blur of the nation's rapid change into focus. In his newly revised and updated Japan, Professor Burks also traces the history of the Japanese, exploring their traditions, their continuity, and their cultural heritage. He devotes a chapter to the remarkable "introspection boom" (Nihonron): the Japanese asking, "Who are we Japanese?" In discussing the country's swift modernization, the author looks not only at the initial transition from primary agriculture to an industrial economy but also at the current evolution into a service-centered society. On both domestic and international levels, the book evaluates the maturing of Japanese industry and its growing investment abroad, as well as the global tensions fueled by Japan's enormous trade surpluses. In response to the intense trade pressure it feels, the country is beginning to shift from export-driven growth to a consumer-oriented economy, a shift that will demand the building of a heretofore neglected, yet essential, infrastructure of housing and transportation. The author analyzes domestic political developments including the regime of Nakasone Yasuhiro and the fall of Takeshita Noboru and Uno Sousuke, precipitated by financial scandal within the majority Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Burks assesses the formidable tasks facing the revamped ruling LDP as its new generation of younger leaders grapples with an evolving economy, an expanding regional role, and the dissatisfaction of women and young people who have begun to rebel against the growth ethic and their marginalized role in society. In his well-drawn, lucid portrait of this complex country, Professor Burks reflects on Japan as a nation in historical transition, envisioning a postindustrial future filled with friction and promise. As he writes in his introduction, "Americans and Japanese too often look

Copyright:

1991

Book Details

Book Quality:

Publisher Quality

ISBN-13:

9780429718953

Related ISBNs:

9780429033704, 9780367003845, 9780367003845, 9780367153717, 9780367153717, 9780367127947, 9780367127947

Publisher:

Taylor and Francis

Date of Addition:

07/09/20

Copyrighted By:

Routledge

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

Nonfiction, Social Studies, Politics and Government

Submitted By:

Bookshare Staff

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.