The Japan Society Review

June was an exciting month for us with the publication of two much anticipated Japan Society supported books, "Japanese Envoys in Britain, 1862-1964: A Century of Diplomatic Exchange" and "Britain and Japan: Biographical Portraits, Volume VI. The main theme of this issue is new publications on recent Japanese history.

In this colourful spring issue our main theme is photographic books about Japan and we review an excellent selection of new books on the topic. We can only present a very limited number of photographs from these books in the following pages, but if you visit our website you will find a host visual gems.

Our first issue of 2007 features a major new Japanese book on the Second World War, "Who Was Responsible?" which has generated considerable international debate. We also review other books on the topic which examine different aspects of Japan's wartime past.

Our last issue of 2006 reviews an exciting selection of new books ideal for the rapidly approaching holiday season. We also launch our new Arts Review feature with a look at two recently published works, both offered at specially discounted prices for our readers.

September 2006 will be remembered as a historic month for Japan with the birth of the first male heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 41 years and the election of a new prime minister to replace the flamboyant Junichiro Koizumi. The focus of this issue of Japan Book Review also has a strong historic flavour with an excellent selection of new reviews.

In this sizzling July issue, we aim to lift your spirits a little after Japan's World Cup disappointment. We have a fine selection of new reviews including two gripping tales of romance, a pair of stimulating biographies, a groundbreaking historical analysis and much more.

This issue provides you with another great selection of stimulating reviews, this time covering everything form the Chrysanthemum Throne (Enigma of the Emperors) to the Chrysanthemum itself (Garden Plants of Japan). We also have two griping books (Flyboys and To the Kwai and Back) for the regular memoirs section.

Welcome to the second edition of Japan Book Review. In this issue we have some sharply contrasting books, starting off with a look at how the latest developments in risk management are sustaining Japanese capitalism and then turning in the opposite direction to chart the decline of the left in Japanese politics.

Welcome to the first edition of Japan Book Review. We hope the new-look format for the reviews will enhance your enjoyment of this highly popular feature. The theme for this inaugural issue is memoirs and we are featuring four newly released books under this heading including Crown Prince Naruhito's account of his two years at Oxford.