Japan's Postwar History Book

　It is condensed and comprehensive synthesis of the first half-century of Japan's postwar history. It covers the period from 1932 to 1989 and onwards.
　　
　　For politics, the book addresses local as well as national politics focusing on both citizenry and political elites, so as to demonstrate the nature of political relationships, institutions, and behaviors. It also examines policy making process, interest-group behaviors, some military affairs and civil administration.
　　
　　For economy, the book underlines the dramatic changes in agriculture, manufacturing and service industries in a broad context of international upheaval. Domestically, it discussed both corporate
　　giants as well as SMEs on the supply chain; Internationally, it adequated address Japan's involvement in global trade.
　　
　　Japan's social history involves the rise of consumerism, which can be broken down to higher incomes, improved diets, better health and housing. Demographical changes such as increasing elder populace and the amount of leisure activities are also discussed.
　　
　　Finally, there are some take-aways insights that I am personally interested in and thus concluded from the book:
　　
　　1. The nature of Japan's politics is not domecracy, because there is no ambivelance about LDP's political dominance over the post-war period.
　　
　　2. The tranformation from economic inequalities to relatively equalities is not a result of democracy but a result of overall national economic uplifting, which was given rise to Japan's calculated positioning of her economy in the global village.
　　
　　3. China is undergoing the process of urbanization similiar to Japan's urbanization occurred post war. The later provides such fresh and vivid prior experience for China to learn from.