The Modern History of Japan by W. G. Beasley provides a comprehensive overview of Japan’s political, social, and economic transformation from the late Tokugawa era to the modern period. The book examines the fall of the shogunate, the Meiji Restoration, Japan’s rapid modernization, and the emergence of the nation as a major world power. Beasley analyzes key historical developments, includin…
A clear, readable, and compact overview of Japan’s history. The book spans from ancient times through the feudal era, the modernization during the Meiji Restoration, and into the twentieth century, covering Japan’s rise as a world power. Busch highlights political, economic, and social transformations, such as the shift from isolation to international engagement, industrial growth, and the …
Faces of Japan by Bob Davis is a photographic book capturing everyday life in Japan during the 1970s. Through 88 black-and-white photographs, Davis portrays both traditional and modern aspects of Japanese society, from urban centers to rural areas, highlighting daily routines, local markets, sumo wrestling, and street scenes in cities like Shibuya. The book aims to reveal the “real faces of J…
the political, social, and cultural evolution of Japan from its earliest eras through the mid‑20th century. Hall places special emphasis on Japan’s premodern period, analyzing how its feudal institutions, social hierarchies, and political structures changed over more than two millennia. He explores the influence of both the Chinese civilization (especially from the 6th century) and the West…
A comprehensive and scholarly examination of the pivotal events of 1868 in Japan, when Imperial power was restored. He argues that the Restoration was not primarily driven by economic distress or class conflict, but by a rising sense of national danger and pride as Japan encountered Western powers. Nationalism motivated the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate and the re-unification of Japan und…
The Japanese Mind: The Goliath Explained by Robert C. Christopher offers a concise analysis of the cultural values and social behaviors that shape Japanese thinking. The book explains how tradition, group orientation, discipline, and implicit communication influence Japan’s society, education, and work culture. Christopher highlights the contrast between modern industrial success and enduring…
A historical examination of the major political institutions in Japan, from the early modern period through the Meiji Restoration and into more recent eras. Ishii analyzes the development of governance structures, the relationship between the imperial system, the bureaucracy, and emerging representative bodies, as well as how these institutions evolved in response to internal and external press…
Examines the diplomatic, legal, and geopolitical dimensions of Japan’s postwar peace settlements from 1945 onwards. Jain explores how Japan negotiated with various countries to reestablish its international relations, focusing on treaties, reparations, and reconciliation. He analyzes key agreements such as the San Francisco Peace Treaty as well as bilateral pacts with nations including Korea …
This book provides an analytical account of the Allied occupation of Tokyo following World War II. Harry Emerson Wildes examines political, social, and cultural changes that emerged during the occupation period, describing its impact on Japanese society and the transformation of Tokyo in the postwar era. Through firsthand observations and detailed reporting, the author offers insight into the c…
Japan and Its World: Two Centuries of Change by Marius B. Jansen synthesizes decades of scholarship to explore how Japanese self-perception and its view of the Western world have evolved since the 18th century. Based on the Brown and Haley lectures delivered in 1975, the book traces key transformations in Japanese society, including challenges to the Confucian order, the quest for global wisdom…