Description
Book SynopsisOn March 11, 2011, Japan was struck by the shockwaves of a 9.0 magnitude undersea earthquake originating less than 50 miles off its eastern coastline. The most powerful earthquake to have hit Japan in recorded history, it produced a devastating tsunami with waves reaching heights of over 130 feet that in turn caused an unprecedented multireactor meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. This triple catastrophe claimed almost 20,000 lives, destroyed whole towns, and will ultimately cost hundreds of billions of dollars for reconstruction.
In 3.11, Richard Samuels offers the first broad scholarly assessment of the disaster''s impact on Japan''s government and society. The events of March 2011 occurred after two decades of social and economic malaiseas well as considerable political and administrative dysfunction at both the national and local levelsand resulted in national soul-searching. Political reformers saw in the tragedy cause for hope: an opportunity for J
Trade Review
[3.11] is clearly the product of a deep sympathy for the disaster's immediate victims and Japan as a whole.
-- Andrew E. Barshay * Political Science Quarterly *
Samuels draws on a lifetime of experience researching Japan's politics and local government, military and energy policy, and political leadership and economy to craft a definitive political account of the country's response to the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accidents of March 11, 2011. In a narrative organized around the themes of vulnerability, leadership, community, and change, Samuels emphasizes how institutions of Japanese government and society shaped the disaster response.
* Library Journal *
Samuels goes beyond the human tragedy of the massive earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011, to examine the disaster's impact on the subsequent political discourse in Japan.... Highly recommended.
* Choice *
So why hasn't March 11, 2011, been the game-changer that many anticipated? Richard Samuels’ masterful account of Japan’s policy responses to its greatest crisis since World War II explains why continuity has trumped change. But maybe, just maybe, it hasn’t, as he also reminds us that the consequences are still unfolding.
* The Japan Times *
This is a carefully argued book, based on immense research and deep understanding of underlying causes.
-- J. A. A. Stockwin * Journal of Japanese Studies *
Table of ContentsPreface1. The Status Quo Ante and 3.112. Never Waste a Good Crisis3. Historical and Comparative Guidance4. Dueling Security Narratives5. Debating Energy Policy6. Repurposing Local GovernmentConclusionNotes
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