Japan's Quiet Transformation: Social Change and Civil Society in 21st Century Japan (Asia's Transformations)

The 1990s have been termed as 'Japan's lost decade' to describe how the phenomenal growth in the Japanese economy ground to a halt and the country was crippled by enormous and ongoing political, economic and social problems. In responding to these unprecedented difficulties, wide-ranging reforms have been adopted including NPO, information disclosure and judicial reform legislation. Controversially, this book argues that such reforms are creating a more robust civil society and demonstrate that Japan is far more dynamic than is generally recognized. In the 1990s the phenomenal growth of the Japanese economy ground to a shuddering halt and the country was subsequently crippled by enormous and ongoing political, economic and social problems. This accessible and engaging textbook for all students of Japanese studies is beautifully illustrated with striking images of turmoil and change in contemporary Japan. Kingston examines the transformation of Japan, evaluating the social, economic and political challenges it has faced, as well as prospects for the future addressing what is often missed by media's relentless pessimistic coverage. Controversially, it argues that the Japan that emerges from these manifold problems may, in fact, be stronger than before.

Areas covered include:

* The power of bureaucracy
* Information disclosure
* Judicial Reform
* Infrastructure
* Health, BSE and the struggle for human rights
* Nationalism and 'Japaneseness'
* Social transformation: family, gender, ageing, and work

The 1990s have been termed as 'Japan's Lost Decade' to describe how the phenomenal growth in the Japanese economy ground to a halt and the country was subsequently crippled by enormous and ongoing political, economic and social problems. In responding to these unprecedented difficulties, wide-ranging reforms have been adopted including NPO, Information Disclosure and Judicial Reform legislation. Controversially, this book argues that such reforms are creating a more robust civil society and demonstrate that Japan is far more dynamic than is generally recognized The lost decade of the 1990s Information disclosure Building civil society : NPOs and judicial reform Rogues and riches : the bureaucrats' fall from grace Downsizing the construction state Bad blood : the betrayal and infection of Japan's hemophiliacs Dignity denied Mad cows and ocean cockroaches One hand clapping : currents of nationalism in contemporary Japan Social transformations : family, gender, aging, and work Conclusion : under construction, Japan's nascent civil society. During the 1990s Japan's phenomenal economic growth ground to a halt and the country was crippled by ongoing political, economic and social problems. In this book, the author argues that when Japan emerges from these manifold problems it may well be an even stronger society than before Controversially, this book argues that the Japan that emerges from its manifold problems of the 1990s may be stronger than before.