Books
Children of the Japanese State - The Changing Role of Child Protection Institutions in ContemporaryBy Roger Goodman In Japan today, over 30,000 children are in the care of the state. Drawing on his long-term fieldwork in an institution for such children, Roger Goodman describes what happens to them in a country with no professional social workers and little tradition of adopting or fostering children in need of care. Review by Sean Curtin
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Economic Reform in Japan: Can the Japanese Change?Edited by Craig Freedman Nowadays everyone is asking if Japan can change. This conference volume explores some answer to this question by featuring internationally renowned scholars and Japan specialists with diverse opinions. Review by Takahiro Miyao
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Unequal Allies? United States Security and Alliance Policy towards Japan, 1945-1960By John Swenson Wright This carefully researched and scholarly study sheds new light on one of the most important themes in modern Japanese history, the US-Japan Alliance after WWII. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi
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Hokusai and His AgeEdited by John Carpenter This profusely illustrated volume presents a wide range of current scholarship on the Edo artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) and his immediate artistic and literary circles. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi
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Human Bullets: A Soldier’s Story of the Russo-Japanese WarBy Tadayoshi Sakurai A fascinating glimpse into prevailing nationalistic and militaristic attitudes in early-twentieth-century Japan, Human Bullets is also an engaging story of combat and an excellent source of insights about an influential conflict. Review by D. Colin Jaundrill