Japan As Anything But Number One

'Japan as - anything but - Number One should be everybody's number two book to read about Japan. After almost any introduction that lays out the claims made for Japan's truly unusual economy and society, the next step forward should be to read an informed critical text, to set a contrast in the mind. No book achieves this more concisely, more acurately and more succinctly than Japan as - anything but - Number One .' - James Y. Bourlet, Professor of Japanese Management, London Guildhall University Is Japan No 1? Well, maybe it is if you only consider those sectors where it has been particularly successful. But not if you add many others where its performance was mediocre or worse. Is Japan No 1? Well, maybe it is if you ask the foreign 'friends' who have made a career (and sometimes a fortune) as apologists of Japanese causes. But, if you ask the Japanese themselves, you will find that they are anything but satisfied. Is Japan No 1? Well, maybe it is if you are taken in by the tatemae, i.e. the official version or how its admirers like to picture it. But it does not look so great once you perceive the honne, i.e. the realities of life in Japan. Is Japan No 1? Well, maybe it is if you take what is best in Japan and contrast it to what is less good in foreign countries. But it does not compare so well if you mix the good with the bad in both places. No, the author does not think that Japan is a horrible place or that its leaders have made a complete mess of things. But, if you look closely, it is certainly not the extraordinary success it is frequently claimed to be. It is closer to the mean, with many serious problems that will only get worse if people foolishly assume it is No 1.

A full scale examination of the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War - the events that led to it, the Cold War aftermath, and the implications for the region and beyond.

The Japanese economy is currently at a crossroads and the embarrassing situation the country faces today is even worse than the Meiji restoration of 1868, the defeat after World War II in 1945 and the yen appreciation after the Plaza Agreements of 1985. Indeed, the traditional Japanese model is doomed to failure, mainly due to economic and industrial structures that are inappropriate towards increasing globalization, liberalization and deregulation. However, Japanese-style industrial capitalism is in this work compared to the economic and social models of other developed countries and this enables us to point out the path the Japanese economy may take in the 21st century in order to survive.

In a rare combination of comprehensive coverage and sustained critical focus, this book examines Japan's progress through its entire history to its current status as an economic, technological, and cultural superpower. A key factor is a pragmatic determination to succeed. Little-known facts are also brought to light, and the latest findings used.

Japan's aggressive economic development has led many Americans to fear that it will lead to an equally aggressive nationalism reminiscent of the pre-World War II period. Beyond the Rising Sun demonstrates that such fears are unfounded. Although cultural nationalism is strong, Japan today is a stable and peaceful democracy. Professionals, academics, government officials, business people, and the general public will find this challenge to many current views about Japanese politics, people, and U.S.-Japanese relations provocative. There has long been concern that Japan's aggressive economic development might be a harbinger of an equally aggressive nationalism, reminiscent of the dark era leading up to World War II. The media has fueled the image of a newly aggressive Japan by using martial metaphors such as Samurai capitalism that is invading American markets. Moreover, the Japanese are also portrayed as subservient members of a conformist society manipulated by political authority. However, a long-time resident in Japan and scholar on U.S.-Japanese relations argues that contemporary Japanese nationalism has no connection to its prewar embodiment and fears of an authoritarian and aggressive Japan have no basis in reality. Of the many changes in Japan since the end of the war, the most significant has been the development of a deeply ingrained democratic political culture. Although a strong force in Japan today, nationalism is manifested by a strong ethnic, cultural, and racial identification and not by citizen identification with the state. By examining the wide varieties of nationalism in contemporary Japan and by explaining the role that they play in society and politics, academics, professionals, government officials, business people, and the general public will find this analysis invaluable for understanding contemporary Japan. This short text is designed also for use in courses in Japanese politics, contemporary Japanese society and culture, and U.S.-Japanese relations.

Pt. 1. Introduction -- pt. 2. Business and technology -- pt. 3. Politics, governance and foreign policy -- pt. 4. Social issues -- pt. 5. National identity -- pt. 6. Conclusions.

The second edition of an innovative undergraduate textbook in Comparative Economic Systems that goes beyond the traditional dichotomies.