"An East gate book."

Includes bibliographical references (p. 349-369) and index.

Modern Japan: background -- Introduction -- General history -- Japan and the West -- The restoration -- Modernization -- The imperial system -- The occupation -- The goals of the occupation -- Labor -- Land reform -- Education -- The zaibatsu -- The 1947 constitution -- The political process -- The structure of government -- The legislative process -- Organization -- Procedure -- The cabinet -- Bureaucracy -- Local government -- The legal system -- The legal profession -- Political parties: I -- The Japanese party system -- The Liberal Democratic Party -- The role of factions -- LDP party politics -- Choosing the party leader -- The Nakasone era -- The new liberal club -- Decline and fall -- Rebuilding -- Political parties: II -- The Japan Socialist Party -- The Clean Government Party -- The Japan Communist party -- The Democratic Socialist Party -- Other parties -- Political parties and democracy in Japan -- Political corruption and political reform -- The politics of corruption -- The Lockheed scandal -- The recruit scandal -- The Sagawa Kyūbin scandal -- The institutionalization of corruption -- Party philosophy -- Public opinion -- Ineffective opposition -- Money and politics -- Reform proposals -- Conclusion -- Political participation -- The electoral system -- Getting elected -- The role of the press -- Electoral reform -- Protest politics -- Citizens' movements: the environment -- Pressure groups -- Professional associations -- Business -- Agriculture -- Labor -- Students --

Society and economy -- The social order -- Social identity -- Social status -- The individual and the group -- Social distinctions and politics -- Ethnic groups -- Women -- Political groups -- The economy -- The post-World War II economy -- Economic characteristics -- Major strengths -- Major weaknesses -- The Japanese worker -- Worker compensation -- Lifetime employment -- Japanese management -- The role of exports -- Meeting the challenge -- The post-bubble economy -- Public services -- Education and health care -- Education and the social system -- The educational system today -- Literacy -- Curriculum -- Why do students work so hard? -- Higher education -- Students -- The issue of academic status -- Faculty -- Financing higher education -- Problems of higher education -- Education and Japan's future -- Health care -- National health program -- Costs -- Aging population -- Medical services -- Public safety -- Crime rates -- The criminal justice system -- The police -- Vice and victimless crimes -- Political corruption -- Japan and the world -- Foreign relations -- Foreign political relations -- Japan-China relations -- Japan-Russia relations -- Japan and Eastern Europe -- Japan and the Third World -- Other developments -- Relations with the United States -- Security issues -- Development assistance -- Technical competition -- The nuclear issue -- Foreign economic relations -- International trade pressures -- Defense -- From hot war to Cold War -- The Japanese defense establishment -- Organization of the military -- Projecting Japanese military power -- The North Korea problem -- Japan and international peacekeeping operations -- Constraints on expanding the military -- Public opinion -- Article nine -- Budget constraints -- Japanese strategy in the new millennium -- Conclusions -- Problems and prospects -- The institutional dimension -- The political process -- The changing social context -- Economic development -- International relations -- Quality of life issues -- Appendix A: The constitution of Japan -- Appendix B: Parliamentary election results -- Appendix C: Prime ministers of Japan -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index.