Japanese Politics: An Introduction

by Takashi Inoguchi

When the Japanese economy was on the rise, as it was in the 1980s, it was often suggested that the Japanese way of doing things was culturally unique and inherently superior. The apparent success of the Japanese approach to issues such as capitalist development, organizational management, decision-making, and education was frequently heralded both inside and outside of Japan. Having endured the collapse of the bubble economy, and the long economic and demographic stagnation of the 1990s, the Japanese are now more sanguine about the prospects for their country in the new millennium. The author, one of the leading political scientists in Japan, offers a somber analysis and assessment of Japanese politics during two critical recent periods, 1983-1993 and 1994-2004. Japanese Politics examines the incremental and yet steady change which has occurred in Japanese domestic politics and foreign policy. Japan is now replacing its old policies and adopting a more pro-active outlook.

Genres: Japan

235 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2005

About the author

Takashi Inoguchi was a Japanese academic researcher of foreign affairs and international and global relationships of states. He was the president of the University of Niigata Prefecture, and a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo.

Reviews

[Gordon Eldridge · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would not recommend this book. It really deserves no stars at all. The views expressed in the book are naive, unsophisticated and at times quite biased. The writing style makes the book almost unreadable. There is no attempt to present a logically sequenced argument. The writing consists of episodic snatches of information that are not related in any coherent kind of way. In general it is an extremely disappointing and boring coverage of what should be an inherently fascinating topic. For a vastly superior discussion of the topic read "The Logic of Japanese Politics" by Gerald Curtis.