- Table View
- List View
Japan at the Crossroads: Conflict and Compromise after Anpo
by Nick KapurIn 1960, when Japan revised the postwar treaty that allows a U.S. military presence in Japan, the popular backlash changed the evolution of Japan’s politics and culture, and its global role. Nick Kapur’s analysis helps resolve Japan’s essential paradox as being innovative yet regressive, flexible yet resistant, imaginative yet wedded to tradition.
Japan faces the World, 1925-1952 (Seminar Studies)
by Mary L. HannemanBy 1925 the process of Japan's transition to a modern industrialised, westernised state was pretty much complete. Not only had the imperial tradition been restored with the Meiji Restoration in 1868, but some forms of democratic parliamentary institutions had been set up. However, during the years that followed, the so-called imperial democracy came under pressure as the Japanese sought to impose tight control over not only their own people but their neighbours as well. This impressive survey looks at developments at home, Japan's aggressive foreign policy particularly in China during the 1930s and 1940s, and her role in the Second World War. Finally, the post-war reconstruction orchestrated by the Americans is examined. The cut-off point is 1952 - the date when Allied Occupation formally came to an end and Japan once again became independent.
Japan faces the World, 1925-1952 (Seminar Studies)
by Mary L. HannemanBy 1925 the process of Japan's transition to a modern industrialised, westernised state was pretty much complete. Not only had the imperial tradition been restored with the Meiji Restoration in 1868, but some forms of democratic parliamentary institutions had been set up. However, during the years that followed, the so-called imperial democracy came under pressure as the Japanese sought to impose tight control over not only their own people but their neighbours as well. This impressive survey looks at developments at home, Japan's aggressive foreign policy particularly in China during the 1930s and 1940s, and her role in the Second World War. Finally, the post-war reconstruction orchestrated by the Americans is examined. The cut-off point is 1952 - the date when Allied Occupation formally came to an end and Japan once again became independent.
Japan from A to Z: Mysteries of Everyday Life Explained
by Michiko Sasaki Vardaman James M. VardamanThis Japanese travel guide provides goes beyond the typical guidebook, revealing the underlying cultural and historical reasons for the behavior and attitudes of The Japanese.<P><P>Authors Michiko and James Vardaman identify nearly three hundred aspects of Japanese culture, custom, and daily life that commonly frustrate, delight, or just plain stump non-Japanese. For each topic, they provide historical and other background that helps strip away some of the mystery surrounding Japanese culture, and make inscrutable Japan a little more scrutable. Drawings and illustrations help illustrate some objects that may be unfamiliar to Westerns, such as "New Year's rakes," Japanese water sprites, and wish tablets.Japan from A to Z fills in holes left by more academically oriented books on Japan by providing information on topics that readers would be unable to find in more staid, conventional sources. Fun and fascinating for tourist and resident alike, it offers a concise, readable introduction to the country and its way of life.
Japan from War to Peace: The Coaldrake Records 1939-1956
by William H. CoaldrakeThis book makes available for the first time a treasure trove of hitherto unpublished documents on Japan in the war years and immediate postwar occupation and recovery. The documents consist of newsletters, newspaper articles, texts of radio broadcasts and letters written by Frank William Coaldrake, a pacifist and priest and the first Australian civilian to enter Japan after the war, with his wife Maida. Frank and Maida formed a team of participant observers in the challenge of a nation confronting its past and trying to find hope in a future while occupied by foreign powers. This is a rare and comprehensive collection of first hand accounts of Japan by two astute observers. The daily struggle against starvation is interspersed with issues such as war atrocities, the atomic bombings, the status of the Imperial Family, the British monarch and labour unions. The text is illustrated with photographs taken by Frank Coaldrake. With an introduction by William H. Coaldrake, son of the authors.
Japan in Crisis: An Englishman's Impression (Routledge Library Editions: Japan)
by Hugh Vere Redman"...The Japanese are not so black as they are painted or so immaculate as they occasionally paint themselves." As the author’s own words suggest, this book attempts to give a balanced account of Japan during the "crisis" years of 1931-1935 which were some of the most significant in modern Japanese history. They saw an act of political expansion unique in the years following World War One, as well as an expansion of Japanese foreign trade in markets hitherto dominated by the exports of other countries. The letters re-issued here were written for both the Western and Japanese reader and as such represent an unrivalled impartial resource.
Japan in Transformation, 1945-2010 (Seminar Studies)
by Jeff KingstonSince 1945, Japan has successfully reinvented itself, rising from the ashes of defeat to become a peaceful and prosperous nation. It is seen as an inspiration for other developing nations and contributes significantly to global development. As the third largest economy in the world, with a reputation for technological innovation and cultural creativity, Japan is a country shaping the world we live in. In this new edition of Japan in Transformation, Jeffrey Kingston explores the character of the nation as it has evolved since the end of the Second World War. The book: - examines the US Occupation and explains the causes of the economic miracle and its demise- evaluates the effect of the Lost Decade of the 1990s and the unravelling of the Japan, Inc system that prevailed in the twentieth century- analyses such central and topical issues as the demographic crisis, regional relations, security concerns, political change and the role of women Expanded and thoroughly revised to cover the period of 1945 to 2010, this second edition of Japan in Transformation provides a succinct and comprehensive study of the recent history of one of the most dynamic nations in the modern world.
Japan in Transformation, 1945–2020 (Seminar Studies)
by Jeff KingstonJapan in Transformation, 1945–2020 has been newly revised and updated to examine the 3.11 natural and nuclear disasters, Emperor Akihito’s abdication, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s legacies, the 2019 World Cup and the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to COVID-19. Through a chronological approach, this volume traces the development of Japan’s history from the US Occupation in 1945 to the political consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. It evaluates the impact of the Lost Decade of the 1990s as well as key issues such as the demographic crisis, war memory, regional relations, security concerns, constitutional revision and political stagnation. In response to post-2010 developments such as Abenomics, the demise of the Democratic Party of Japan and immigration policy, chapters have been reassessed to account for changes in politics, the role of women, Japan’s relationships with Asia and how and why policies have fallen short of stated goals. Overall, the volume reveals how Japan transformed into one of the largest economic and technological powers of the modern world. With a Chronology, Who’s who and Glossary, this edition is the ideal resource for all students interested in Japanese politics, economy and society since the end of World War II.
Japan in World History (Routledge Library Editions: Japan)
by George SansomIn this volume the author considers what the purpose and method of advanced Japanese studies should be. He believes that the study of Japanese history should be, not an end in itself but an integral part of world history. He discusses areas of controversy in interpretation which arise when a comparative method is used and Japanese history is examined in correlation with world history.
Japan in the American Century
by Kenneth B. PyleNo nation was more deeply affected by America’s rise to power than Japan. The price paid to end the most intrusive reconstruction of a nation in modern history was a cold war alliance with the U.S. that ensured American dominance in the region. Kenneth Pyle offers a thoughtful history of this relationship at a time when the alliance is changing.
Japan in the Heisei Era (1989–2019): Multidisciplinary Perspectives
by Jeff Kingston Tina Burrett Noriko MuraiJapan in the Heisei Era (1989–2019) provides a retrospective and multidisciplinary account of a society in flux. Featuring analyses from leading scholars around the globe, this textbook examines the evolving contexts of Japan throughout the Heisei era and how longstanding verities and values have been called into question. Asking what this holds for Japan’s future relations with the world and within its own communities, chapters delve beneath the layers of a complex and increasingly diverse society, exploring topics including simmering ethnonationalism, economic torpor, political stagnation, and cultural dynamics. Features of this textbook include:• Analysis of key social issues ranging from immigration, civil society, press freedom, politics, labour and the economy, to diversity, the marginalisation of women, Shinto, and Aum Shinrikyo• Evaluation of the legacy of Emperor Akihito on war memory, the imperial institution, art, regional relations, and constitutional revision• Multidisciplinary insights from both the social sciences and humanities• Rich illustrations for visual analysis of developments in contemporary Japanese literature, film, art, and pop culture Providing students with dynamic analyses of how contemporary Japanese society continues to transform, this textbook is essential reading for students of Japanese Studies, including Japanese culture, society, history, and politics.
Japan in the Heisei Era (1989–2019): Multidisciplinary Perspectives
by Jeff Kingston Tina Burrett Noriko MuraiJapan in the Heisei Era (1989–2019)provides a retrospective and multidisciplinary account of a society in flux. Featuring analyses from leading scholars around the globe, this textbook examines the evolving contexts of Japan throughout the Heisei era and how longstanding verities and values have been called into question. Asking what this holds for Japan’s future relations with the world and within its own communities, chapters delve beneath the layers of a complex and increasingly diverse society, exploring topics including simmering ethnonationalism, economic torpor, political stagnation, and cultural dynamics.Features of this textbook include: Analysis of key social issues ranging from immigration, civil society, press freedom, politics, labour and the economy, to diversity, the marginalisation of women, Shinto, and Aum Shinrikyo Evaluation of the legacy of Emperor Akihito on war memory, the imperial institution, art, regional relations, and constitutional revision Multidisciplinary insights from both the social sciences and humanities Rich illustrations for visual analysis of developments in contemporary Japanese literature, film, art, and pop culture Providing students with dynamic analyses of how contemporary Japanese society continues to transform, this textbook is essential reading for students of Japanese Studies, including Japanese culture, society, history, and politics.The Introduction and Chapter 19 of this book are freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.
Japan in the Posthegemonic World
by Tsuneo Akaha Frank LangdonThe diversity of views on the causes and consequences of U.S. hegemonic decline notwithstanding, there is an almost unanimous worldwide opinion that the management of global and regional problems in the post-Cold War era requires, at a minimum, effective and timely policy coordination and efficacious burden- and power-sharing among the United States, Japan, and the European Community. The editors of this volume believe that collective management of post-Cold War problems is both desirable and possible, but that it would require hitherto unprecedented levels of cooperation among the three power centers. Particularly crucial, we believe, will be Japan's ability and willingness to define clearly its role in the emerging new world order and to translate that definition into effective policy. Equally important will be the expectations of others regarding Japan's role and behavior in the posthegemonic world and how any discrepancies between the Japanese and non-Japanese views can be eliminated--or at least reduced-- through political dialogue and policy coordination.
Japan on American TV: Screaming Samurai Join Anime Clubs in the Land of the Lost (Asia Shorts)
by Alisa FreedmanJapan on American TV explores political, economic, and cultural issues underlying depictions of Japan on U.S. television comedies and the programs they inspired. Since the 1950s, U.S. television programs have taken the role of “curators” of Japan, displaying and explaining selected aspects for viewers. Beliefs in U.S. hegemony over Japan underpin this curation process. Japan on American TV takes a historical perspective to understand the diversity of Japan parodies and examines six main categories of television portrayals representing different genres and comedic forms: (1) stereotypes of judo instructors (1950s and 1960s); (2) samurai parodies (prevalent in the 1970s); (3) the Bubble Economy Era in Sesame Street’s Big Bird in Japan (1988); (4) “Cool Japan” parodies (1990s through the present); (5) eager fans in sketch series (2010s); and (6) makeover reality shows (2019). These examples show changing patterns of cultural globalization and perpetuate national stereotypes while verifying Japan’s international influence. Television presents an alternative history of American fascinations with and fears of Japan.Written in an accessible style that will appeal to scholars, teachers, students, and anyone with an interest in Japan and popular culture, as well as an ideal text for classroom use, Japan on American TV offers a gentle means to approach racism, cultural essentialism, cultural appropriation, and issues otherwise difficult to discuss and models new ways to apply knowledge of Asian Studies.
Japan'S Postwar History
by Gary D AllinsonFirst Published in 1997. This comprehensive survey of Japan's post-war history integrates analysis of political, economic, and social topics. It presents the rapid, complex and sometimes contradictory evolution of Japan in an enviably clear style and provides an unrivalled textbook for students seeking a balanced and accessible introduction to modern Japan. The outcome of nearly 30 years’ experience of teaching, researching, and writing Japanese history, Japan's Post-war History offers an analysis of political relationships, institutions and behaviour at local, national and international levels. Economic aspects of Japan's recent history receive equal attention and the dramatic changes that have taken place in the agricultural, manufacturing and service industries are examined within the context of Japan's role as an international trading power. Material standards of living, the behaviour of Japanese as consumers, and the gradual shift in the role of women are also investigated. Given the deep-seated continuities between pre- and post-war Japan, the book also examines in detail the thirteen years before 1945 which imparted many legacies that have profoundly influenced contemporary Japan.
Japan's "New Deal" for China: Propaganda Aimed at Americans before Pearl Harbor (Routledge Studies in the Modern History of Asia)
by June GrassoIn the decade leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor, at a time when Japan was expanding its influence in Asia, several Japanese institutions set about trying to convince Americans to support Tokyo’s plans and ambitions for China. This book seeks to analyze the original publications produced by these organizations and explores the methods used by the Japanese to influence American attitudes and policy. Four organizations active during the 1930s, the South Manchuria Railway Company, the America-Japan Society, the Foreign Affairs Association of Japan, and the Japan Pacific Association, were particularly instrumental in targeting the US. This book argues that they routinely used specific terminology to appeal to Americans, such as 'New Deal,' 'Manifest Destiny,' and 'Open Door.' Furthermore, the Japanese claimed that only they could meet the challenge of the growing communist threat, while their development programs would bring peace and prosperity to China. Nevertheless, American policy was not significantly altered by Japanese propaganda efforts, as documents from the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt reveal that the president continued to prepare the U.S. for war with Japan long before Pearl Harbour. Examining original Japanese English-language propaganda sources from the 1920s and 1930s, this book will be of huge interest to historians of Japan, China, the US and World War II more broadly.
Japan's Accession to the Comity of Nations (Routledge Library Editions: Japan)
by Alexander von SieboldThis volume is based upon personal observations and recollections of the author extending over six different periods of residence in Japan between 1859 and 1877. It examines how the focus of the West towards Japan changed, as Japan became a dominant force in the political arena of the Far East when it freed itself of Chinese rule and, through the Meiji restoration adopted a democratic system of government based on the West. This rapid development in the history & governance of a nation had never been seen before on such a scale and this volume therefore covers a momentous period in the history of the Japan and its role in international politics.
Japan's Big Bang
by Declan HayesJapan's national economy: understanding the history of the current crisis and proposing a path forwardThe consistent failure of the Japanese bureaucracy and business establishment to meet proper management and regulatory standards has made America's premier ally in Asia a major source of financial instability in today's world.Japan has the world's biggest everbad-debt burdenJapan has allowed organized crime to systematically infiltrate its financial institutionsJapan's national pension system faces imminent bankruptcyJapan's banks, brokerages, and insurance houses are near insolvency and welded to obsolete practices that hold the entire country and region backJapan's Big Bang traces the hurdles Japan must overcome to once again reign as one of the world's preeminent financial powerhouses. With an academic's analytical eye and the tenacity of a financial beat reporter, Declan Hayes explores the tangled mess that was and is Japan's economy, and explores the remedial action Japan must follow to regain and sustain its position as the economic engine of Asia.
Japan's Carnival War: Mass Culture on the Home Front, 1937–1945
by Benjamin UchiyamaJapan in the Asia-Pacific War years is usually remembered for economic deprivation, political repression, and cultural barrenness. Benjamin Uchiyama argues that although the war created the opportunity for the state to expand its control over society and mass culture, it also fractured Japanese people's sense of identity, spilling out through a cultural framework which is best understood as 'carnival war'. In this cultural history, we are introduced to five symbolic figures: the thrill-seeking reporter, the defiant munitions worker, the tragic soldier, the elusive movie star, and the glamorous youth aviator. Together they represent both the suppression and proliferation of cultural life in wartime Japan and demonstrate that 'carnival war' coexisted with total war to promote consumerist desire versus sacrifice, fantasy versus nightmare, and beauty versus horror. Ultimately, Uchiyama argues, this duality helped mobilize home front support for the war effort.
Japan's Castles: Citadels of Modernity in War and Peace
by Ran Zwigenberg Oleg BeneschAn innovative examination of heritage politics in Japan, showing how castles have been used to re-invent and recapture competing versions of the pre-imperial past and project possibilities for Japan's future. Oleg Benesch and Ran Zwigenberg argue that Japan's modern transformations can be traced through its castles. They examine how castle preservation and reconstruction campaigns served as symbolic ways to assert particular views of the past and were crucial in the making of an idealized premodern history. Castles have been used to craft identities, to create and erase memories, and to symbolically join tradition and modernity. Until 1945, they served as physical and symbolic links between the modern military and the nation's premodern martial heritage. After 1945, castles were cleansed of military elements and transformed into public cultural spaces that celebrated both modernity and the pre-imperial past. What were once signs of military power have become symbols of Japan's idealized peaceful past.
Japan's China Policy: A Relational Power Analysis (European Institute of Japanese Studies East Asian Economics and Business Series)
by Linus HagströmJapan's China Policy understands Japan's foreign policy in terms of power - one of the most central concepts of political analysis. It contributes a fresh understanding to the subject by developing relational power as an analytical framework and by applying it to significant issues in Japan's China policy: the negotiations for a bilateral investment protection treaty and the disputed Pinnacle (Senkaku/Diaoyu) Islands. Hagström demonstrates that Japan exerted power over China in such divergent empirical settings for the most part by using civilian instruments positively, defensively and through non-action. Given that Japan's foreign policy is often portrayed rather enigmatically in terms of power, the unique contribution of Japan's China Policy is to demonstrate how to analyze power aspects of Japan's foreign policy in a more coherent fashion. This revealing approach to Japan's foreign policy will be of huge interest to anyone studying Japanese politics, foreign policy or international relations.
Japan's Contested War Memories: The 'Memory Rifts' in Historical Consciousness of World War II (Routledge Contemporary Japan Series #10)
by Philip A. SeatonJapan's Contested War Memories is an important and significant book that explores the struggles within contemporary Japanese society to come to terms with Second World War history. Focusing particularly on 1972 onwards, the period starts with the normalization of relations with China and the return of Okinawa to Japan in 1972, and ends with the sixtieth anniversary commemorations. Analyzing the variety of ways in which the Japanese people narrate, contest and interpret the past, the book is also a major critique of the way the subject has been treated in much of the English-language. Philip Seaton concludes that war history in Japan today is more divisive and widely argued over than in any of the other major Second World War combatant nations. Providing a sharp contrast to the many orthodox statements about Japanese 'ignorance', amnesia' and 'denial' about the war, this is an engaging and illuminating study that will appeal to scholars and students of Japanese history, politics, cultural studies, society and memory theory.
Japan's Continental Adventure (Routledge Library Editions: Japan)
by Ching-Chun WangThis book contains eighteen studies on various important phases of Japan’s invasion of China. The appendix contains the historical declaration by Chiang-Kai-shek setting forth clearly the reasons why China took up arms against Japanese aggression, and a lucid chapter by the veteran sinologist Owen Lattimore on what Korea pays for Japan’s rule. Ever since the invasion of Manchuria by Japan in September 1931 the writer called attention to the fact that, in view of the League commitments, aggression in the East, if not properly stopped according to the League Covenant, would encourage aggression to spread beyond the limits of Asia.
Japan's Cultural Code Words: Key Terms That Explain the Attitudes and Behavior of the Japanese
by Boye Lafayette De MenteThis book is a study of Japanese society through the understanding of the key terms and concepts that define their attitudes and behaviors. <p><p> Westerners have traditionally been intrigued by Japanese attitudes and behaviors which have been perceived as ranging from cute, quaint, and seductive to strange and sometimes savage. The traditional dual character of the Japanese is generally attributed to cultural conditioning-strict conformity to standards set by the ruling powers and to sanctified custom-at the expense of individuality and personal freedom. Since World War II, the traditional conditioning and orientation of the Japanese has diminished and continuing influence from the West has wrought fundamental changes in the attitudes and behavior of the Japanese. Nevertheless, Japan's traditional culture is still so powerful that it continues to be the prevailing force in molding and tuning the national character of the Japanese, with the result that they still have two faces-one modern and rational, the other traditional and emotional.
Japan's Development Aid to China: The Long-Running Foreign Policy of Engagement (Routledge Studies in the Growth Economies of Asia #Vol. 60)
by Tsukasa TakamineParadoxically, Japan provides massive amounts of development aid to China, despite Japan's clear perception of China as a prime competitor in the Asia-Pacific region. This clearly written and comprehensive volume provides an overview of the way Japan's aid to China has developed since 1979. It explains the shifts that have taken place in Japan's China policy in the 1990s against the background of international changes and domestic changes in both countries, and offers new insights into the way Japanese aid policy making functions, thereby providing an alternative view of Japanese policy making that might be applied to other areas. Through a series of case studies, it shows Japan’s increasing willingness to use development aid to China for strategic goals and explains a significant shift of priority project areas of Japan’s China aid in the 1990s, from industrial infrastructure to socio-environmental infrastructure. The book argues that, contrary to the widely held view that Japan's aid to China is given for reasons of commercial self-interest, the objectives are much more complex and dynamic. Using original material, Takamine shows how policy making power within the Japanese government has shifted in recent years away from officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to politicians in the Liberal Democratic Party.