Description
Book SynopsisHighly readable yet deeply researched, this book serves as an essential guide to the many ways in which Japan has risen to become one of the world''s most creative and innovative societies.During its so-called Lost Decades, Japan has quietly reinvented itself from a nation with an economy playing catch-up into a global leader in innovation and creativity, one whose soft power extends from postmodern architecture to pluripotent stem cells. Written by a dozen experts in their fields, including architect Kengo Kuma, designer of Tokyo''s 2020 Olympic stadium, this book describes Japan''s contributions to the world in fields ranging from fashion and pop culture to development aid and historical reconciliation. In addition, it demonstrates how Japan has led efforts to contend with several social and economic challenges facing the entire developed world, including demographic aging, rising health-care costs, and wasteful consumption. Using these accomplishments as evidence, it argues t
Trade ReviewA theme is that Japan has been a sort of Galapagos, somewhat isolated from the world, with advantages and problems stemming from this. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. * Choice *
Table of ContentsPreface Yoichi Funabashi Introduction: What Can Japan Offer the World?
Lully Miura Part One Galapagos Incubator Chapter 1 A Soft Superpower: The Pivot from Manufacturing to Pop Culture
Matt Alt Chapter 2 Dominating the Pritzkers: Japan's Emergence as a Leader in Design
Kengo Kuma and Dana Buntrock Chapter 3 Asia's Rediscovery of Japan: The Boom in Inbound Tourism
Fumiko Kato Part Two Outliers and Pioneers Chapter 4 Departing from Silicon Valley: Japan's New Startup Ecosystem
Kenji E. Kushida Chapter 5 A Nation of Centenarians: Japan's Revolution in Health and Wellness
Yoshiki Ishikawa Chapter 6 Pursuing Nobels: Japan's Emergence as a Global Leader in Science
David Cyranoski Chapter 7 Deciphering Japan: China's Fascination with Its Neighbor
Mao Danqing Part Three Global Contributor Chapter 8 Lessons of Tohoku: The Sources of Japan's Resilience to Disaster
Daniel P. Aldrich Chapter 9 Bridges Make Good Neighbors: Building Soft Power with ODA
Hiromi Inami Chapter 10 Japan's Strategic Position: Global Civilian Power 2.0
Yuichi Hosoya Chapter 11 Obama in Hiroshima: A Model for Historical Reconciliation?
Jennifer Lind Conclusion: Japan's Frontiers Are Global Frontiers
Yoichi Funabashi About the Editors and Contributors Index
