Science Technology And Society In Postwar Japan

First published in 1991. The study of Japanese science and technology (especially tech­nology) is a fashionable subject at the present time, and numerous English language works appear month by month claiming to explain the 'miracle' of the recent rise of Japanese technology. Most of these works are, however, seem to be superficial treatments of Japan's recent technological performance, lacking in historical insight. This book is an attempt to introduce a critical examination of the mechanisms by which Japan has promoted science and technology by looking at its post-war historical development.

First published in 1991. The study of Japanese science and technology (especially tech­nology) is a fashionable subject at the present time, and numerous English language works appear month by month claiming to explain the 'miracle' of the recent rise of Japanese technology. Most of these works are, however, seem to be superficial treatments of Japan's recent technological performance, lacking in historical insight. This book is an attempt to introduce a critical examination of the mechanisms by which Japan has promoted science and technology by looking at its post-war historical development.

This book explores the dynamic relationship between science, technology and Japanese society, examining how it has contributed to economic growth and national well-being. It presents a synthesis of recent debates by juxtaposing competing views about the role and direction of science, technology and medical care in Japan. Topics discussed include government policy, the private sector and community responses; computers and communication; the automobile industry, the aerospace industry and quality control; the environment; consumer electronics; medical care; and the role of gender. This is an ideal introductory text for students in the sociology of science and technology, the history and philosophy of science, and Japanese studies. Up-to-date research and case studies make this an invaluable resource for readers interested in the nature of science and technology in the twenty-first century.

This book highlights the importance of individuals in the shaping of postwar Japan by providing an historical account of how physicists constituted an influential elite. An history of science perspective provides insight into their role, helping us to understand the hybrid identity of Japanese scientists, and how they reinvented not only themselves, but also Japan. The book is special in that it uses the history of science to deal with issues relating to Japanese identity, and how it was transformed in the decades after Japan's defeat. It explores the lives and work of seven physicists, two of whom were Nobel prize winners. It makes use of little-known Occupation period documents, personal papers of physicists, and Japanese language source material.

Science Has No National Borders unfolds the fascinating account of the American scientist, Harry C. Kelly, who was central to the United States' contribution to the reconstruction of postwar Japan's science and engineering community. Charged with developing a sound and wise policy during the occupation, he tackled such significant and timeless issues as the relationship between government and scholars and the balance between academic freedom and state power. In the aftermath of World War II, from 1945 through 1952, U.S. military forces occupied Japan. The Americans who served as liaison officers during this time were faced with the task of forging alliances with former enemies so as to transform and revitalize Japan's institutions while paying close attention to American interests and concerns. Nowhere was the need for this delicate balance more evident than in the reconstruction of Japanese science and the reintegration of Japanese scientists into the global community of scholars. Kelly, a physicist in his late thirties, arrived in Japan with little idea of his mission and virtually no knowledge of Japan's culture, society, or language. What he did bring, in addition to his scientific training, was a humanistic vision of the scientific endeavor that extended beyond national borders and politics. By the time he left, he had won the respect and friendship of many Japanese scientists, and in 1969 the government awarded him the highest honor it confers on someone who is not Japanese. Kelly's work remains significant for today's scientists who must continue to seek mutual trust and support at a time when the strength of U.S.-Japanese relations is being challenged more than at any time since the end of World War II.

Emphasizing an interdisciplinary and international coverage of the functions and effects of science and technology in society and culture, Science, Technology, and Society contains over 130 A to Z signed articles written by major scholars and experts from academic and scientific institutions and institutes worldwide. Each article is accompanied by a selected bibliography. Other features include extensive cross referencing throughout, a directory of contributors, and an extensive topical index.

Science, technology, and medicine all contributed to the emerging modern Japanese empire and conditioned key elements of post-war development. As the only emerging non-Western country that was a colonial power in its own right, Japan utilized these fields not only to define itself as racially different from other Asian countries and thus justify its imperialist activities, but also to position itself within the civilized and enlightened world with the advantages of modern science, technologies, and medicine. This book explores the ways in which scientists, engineers and physicians worked directly and indirectly to support the creation of a new Japanese empire, focussing on the eve of World War I and linking their efforts to later post-war developments. By claiming status as a modern, internationally-engaged country, the Japanese government was faced with having to control pathogens that might otherwise not have threatened the nation. Through the use of traditional and innovative techniques, this volume shows how the government was able to fulfil the state’s responsibility to protect society to varying degrees. Chapter 14 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 3.0 license. https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/tandfbis/rt-files/docs/Open+Access+Chapters/9781138905337_oachapter14.pdf

This title is the first volume of a comprehensive, four-volume survey which documents the miraculous growth of Japanese science and technology from post-war devastation to its attaining a leading global status. A team of more than fifty Japanese experts labored for ten years in assembling the unique materials into a monumental work of careful scholarship. The study won the prestigious Mainichi Publications Award in 1997.