The Japan Society Review

In this issue we focus on various aspects of the Japanese movie industry with some stimulating reviews of recent books.

In this issue we focus on the Meiji era, which spanned the period September 1868 to July 1912.

To mark the first year anniversary of the devastating 11 March 2011 Tohoku Earthquake, now also known as the Great East Japan Earthquake, we devote this issue to looking at its aftermath.

In this issue we focus on crime and the legal system in Japan.

In this issue we focus on pioneers and adventurers who opened Japan up to the wider world. Susan Meehan kicks off with a gripping new work by Roger Pulvers on Lafcadio Hearn, the great Japan chronicler of the 1890s who captured the essence of traditional Japan before it morphed into its modern form. Michael Sullivan looks at Giles Milton’s Samurai William: The Adventurer Who Unlocked Japan which charts the life of the first Englishman to learn about and live in Japan.

In this issue we delve into the murky world of Japanese politics focusing on one of the pivotal contemporary figures in the nation’s ever changing political landscape, Ichiro Ozawa. In four reviews, we look at Ozawa’s astonishing career and driving philosophy. Moving away from political machinations, Susan Meehan examines a disturbing and grim movie about the underside of the Japanese police.

In this issue we explore Japan’s involvement in Manchuria with four reviews looking at books covering different aspects of this period and its bitter aftermath. Fumiko Halloran looks at a book on the plight of Japanese prisoners of war who were captured by the Soviets in Manchuria. Moving away from Manchuria, Susan Meehan [...]

In this issue we focus on Japanese religious thought, philosophy and ideology, covering Japan’s two main religions (Buddhism and Shinto) as well as Christianity and some lesser known ideologies. Sir Hugh Cortazzi examines the ideology surrounding the tea ceremony which is explored by Tim Cross in a thought-provoking new study. Ben-Ami Shillony [...]

In this issue we focus on contemporary themes with books exploring whaling, Japanese houses and the 11 March 2011 earthquake, Tsunami and nuclear accident. Our first review looks at the conundrum of Japanese whaling, a topic often in the international media. Sir Hugh Cortazzi looks at Inge Daniels visually stunning and excellently [...]

In our first issue of 2011 we focus on various aspects of Japanese militarism in the past century with some really stimulating articles. Our first review, The Japanese in War and Peace 1942-48, provides some fascinating insights into some of the most turbulent years in the country’s history. We next look at Japanese militarism through the [...]