The New Japan, Government And Politics. [Hardcover]

Excerpt from New Japan, Government and Politics

The Japan of 1956 is a new Japan. Not by revolution but by quickened evolution it became a different political entity during the decade that followed World War II. A new constitution and new laws replaced the major elements in the corpus juris of the Meiji era. The central pillar of the national polity survived the reformist earthquake, but other institutions of power or prestige went down. How new the new Japan is cannot now be determined, since some of the newness may turn out to be veneer. Yet, if what is veneer wears off, the fact remains that we are observing a transition, that feudal-militarist Japan is passing, and that a new and interesting era has begun.

The authors wish to acknowledge a debt not only to the scholars, statesmen, and journalists of Japan who have contributed to the source materials of the book, but to the thousands of humble translators employed during the postwar Occupation to make available in English a large number of essential documents. Without this help the book could not have been written.

Acknowledgment is due also to members of the Occupation staff, particularly to Dr. Justin Williams of Government Section, and to Dr. Harry E. Wildes, Mr. Kenneth Colton, Lt. Col. David Tait, and Miss Naomi Fukuda of Civil Intelligence Section, for assistance in obtaining source materials as well as for their generous sharing of exceptional knowledge and insight. So far as humanly possible and that is not far enough reference has been made to the many workers in the Far Eastern vineyard who have, through their writing, provided additional aid.

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