The Japan Society Review

By Christopher Patten Hong Kong's last British governor recounts his experiences helping foster democracy there and forecasts the economic future of Asia. Review by Sean Curtin

Compiled, edited and in part translated by William McOmie The first in a three-volume series, Volume 1 begins with the earliest written reports from China in the first century AD and ends with a survey of Dutch reports from 1841, which marks the point when 'Japan had been amply described in all major respects', and at a time when it began to be perceived as a less remote and more important country in Western eyes 'yet still emphatically closed to all foreign trade except that of the Dutch and the Chinese'. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi

By Robert Harrison Crowder Though better known for his Japanese folding screen paintings, California-based artist and author Robert Crowder is also a writer of prose and poetry, which detail accounts of his Japanese experiences. In The Blue Furoshiki, he ventures through time and place to recount bygone chapters of daily life in Japan. Review by Susan House Wade

Edited by Rotem Kowner Examining the wide impact of the war and exploring the effect on the political balance in northeast Asia, this book focuses on the reactions in Europe, the United States, East Asia and the wider colonial world, considering the impact on different sections of society, on political and cultural ideas and ideologies, and on various national independence movements. Review by Ian Nish

By Simon May Each chapter of this title focuses on some everyday human matter, such as love, death, bureaucracy, hygiene, food, toilets, commuting, education, marriage and memory. Japanese attitudes to such issues are explored through a mixture of light-hearted anecdote and trenchant analysis. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi

By Simon May British readers will find Simon May's "Atomic Sushi" interesting and very amusing, any Japanese reader will find it insulting. It is stated on a preliminary page, "This is a work of fiction," so what is fiction and what is fact? Reader's Comments by Ann Dent

By Tatsu Kambara and Christopher Howe China's emergence as an energy importer has given rise to concerns that it is a major contributor to recent turmoil in energy markets. This book examines China's record of oil and gas development, its refining capacity, and energy prospects. The authors conclude that there are no fundamental reasons for anxiety about China's demands on the world energy economy, but they emphasize that its energy future will depend critically on a continuation of reform and internationalization. China and the Global Energy Crisis is a concise but detailed study of these issues. Review by J. Sean Curtin

Edited by Sir Hugh Cortazzi At one end, we have scholarly studies, such as Peter O'Connor's piece on the journalist Hugh Fulton Byass, which actually manages to cram an account of the fortunes of the entire English language press before World War II in Japan into 12 pages; at the other extreme, there is Roger Buckley's elegant meditation of under five pages on the difficulty of knowing just what experiences the cult British novelist, Angela Carter, actually had in Japan. Some pieces are based on research; others are personal memoirs - including no less than three accounts written by relatives or descendants of the subjects - containing much information not available elsewhere. Review by Adrian Pinnington

Directed by Yukio Ninagawa, produced by Horipro Inc and the Saitama Arts Foundation in association with Thelma Holt As part of the Royal Shakespeare Company's the Complete Works Festival, legendary director Yukio Ninagawa's Japanese language production of Shakespeare's bloodiest play was transported around the globe to Stratford-upon-Avon for just ten performances. Although Titus Andronicus is not so frequently performed, it's a strangely compelling tale of intense violence and horrific retribution. Ninagawa masterfully utilizes these extremes to create a brilliant new interpretation which creates the illusion that Japanese is Shakespeare's original language. Review by Sean Curtin

By Shinzo Abe Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, at 53 the youngest to hold that office in the post-war period, has written a revealing book about his life, political philosophy, and vision for a good society. The timing of its publication was impeccable as the book hit the stores just before he was elected to the premiership. The book, "Toward A Beautiful Country," swiftly rose on the bestseller lists. Review by Fumiko Halloran