The Japan Society Review

As life in both Japan and the UK takes on a more relaxing summer tempo, we offer you a simulating selection of books to enjoy during the warm August nights. Elizabeth Ingrams explores Lesley Downer’s gripping new historical novel The Courtesan and the Samurai. Staying in the same period, Sir Hugh Cortazzi guides us through the Art of Edo Japan, the Artist and [...]

Since the last issue both Japan and the UK have new Prime Ministers, although some might argue that each country’s fortunes in the World Cup had a bigger impact on the national psyche. We reviewed several Japanese language books on now former PM Yukio Hatoyama in issue 22 and hope to soon bring you a review of one of the recently published books on Naoto Kan (菅直人の原点を探る). This issue’s feature reviews focus on the war and its aftermath [...]

As spring finally bursts forth and election fever grips the British media, we present another issue brimming with illuminating reviews on the latest Japan-related books and movies. Sir Hugh Cortazzi looks at a fascinating book on the Mongol invasion of Japan. Our next review examines the complex issues surrounding Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine, [...]

We kick off our first issue of 2010 reviewing a fascinating new book by George Olcott, “Conflict and Change: Foreign Ownership and the Japanese Firm”. Moving further afield, “Japan’s Silk Road Diplomacy” is a new work on Tokyo’s foreign policy toward the still relatively little known Central Asian states.Fumiko Halloran explores the new and immensely popular four volume tale by Toyoko Yamazaki [...]

Professor Ian Nish kicks off our last issue of 2009 with an article on Roger Dingman’s fascinating new book on how the US Navy & Marine Corps trained its interpreters and translators during the Second World War. Staying in the immediate postwar years, Sir Hugh Cortazzi reviews a book on British and American policy towards China,Korea and Japan in the period up to the outbreak of the Korean War. [...]

Our lead review in this issue takes us back to late Victorian London when fascination with Japan was reaching its zenith. In this issue Susan looks at three films, Shindo Kaneto’s touching Teacher and Three Children, Hiroki Ryuichi’s sentimental and naturalistic Your Friends and Kumakiri Kazuyoshi’s emotional rollercoaster Nonko. Roger Buckley delves into a substantive new work on the Iwakura Embassy to America and Europe [...]

In this issue we focus on various aspects of changing Japan. September 2009 itself heralded in seismic political change with the first non-Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Prime Minister since Tomiichi Murayama back in 1996, and more significantly the first unified opposite party to take power since the formation of the LDP in 1955. To mark such a pivotal moment Fumiko Halloran reviews several recent Japanese language books about the new Democratic Party of Japan government [...]

As we zoom towards the July heat, this issue is packed full of interesting books and films to catch up with during the summer holiday period. Susan Meehan looks at the highly readable “Japan through writers’ eyes,” which reminds us what fantastic prose Japan has inspired from the pens of both foreign and indigenous authors. For those who love to discuss such writers we launched “Japan Society Book Club” in June which meets regularly (for more information see the Society website or e-mail: events@japansociety.org.uk).

Our bimonthly eclectic mix of stimulating Japan- related book, film and stage reviews kicks off with Sir Hugh Cortazzi’s look at the centennial book of the Tokyo-based Japan-British Society. Susan Meehan looks at the mesmerising 2009 Oscar winner Okuribito (Departures), while Fumiko Halloran explores the insightful and best-selling Japanese language book “Saraba Zaimusho!”. We then explore [...]

We kick off our first issue of 2009 with a look at a fascinating new historical book, Kyushu, Gateway to Japan. As usual, we also offer a selection of some of the best new Japanese film and DVD releases. You will also find [...]