Japan's Quiet Transformation: Social Change and Civil Society in 21st Century Japan [Hardcover]

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.Part 1  1. The Lost Decade  2. Information Disclosure  3. Building Civil Society: NPOs and Judicial Reform  4. Rogues and Riches  5. Downsizing the Construction State  Part 2  6. Bad Blood  7. Dignity Denied  8. Mad Cows and Ocean Cockroaches  Part 3  9. Nationalism  10. Social Transformations: Gender, Family, Work and Demographic TrendsControversially, this book argues that the Japan that emerges from its manifold problems of the 1990s may be stronger than before.Jeff Kingston is Professor of History and Director of Asian Studies at Temple University Japan, and has written over 200 book reviews for Japan Times.

'In this stimulating book Jeff Kingston meticulously examines many of the social, political and economic changes that have buffeted Japan for more than a decade and are drastically reshaping its fundamental nature. This insightful and excellently researched work attempts to make sense out of a host of diverse trends and predict their possible impact on the shape of Japan to come.' - J. Sean Curtin, www.glocom.org

'Many historical accounts of postwar Japan conclude before the period