Critical Issues in Contemporary Japan

Jeff Kingston is Professor of History and Director of Asian Studies at Temple University, Japan. He is the author of Japan's Quiet Transformation (2004) and Contemporary Japan (2011).

Introduction Jeff Kingston













Part 1: Political Environment












1. Japanese Politics: Mainstream or Exotic? Arthur Stockwin
2. The Politics of Trade Policy Aurelia George Mulgan
3. Limiting Fundamental Rights Protection in Japan – The Role of the Supreme Court Lawrence Repeta
4. Civil Society: Past, Present, and Future Akihiro Ogawa
5. Japan’s Contemporary Media David McNeill





Part 2: Nuclear and Renewable Energy


6. Revisiting the Limits of Flexible and Adaptive Institutions: The Japanese Government’s Role in Nuclear Power Plant Siting Over the Post-War Period Daniel P. Aldrich
7. Who Controls Whom? Constraints, Challenges and Rival Policy Images in Japan’s Post-War Energy Restructuring Paul Scalise
8. Japan’s Nuclear Village: Power and Resilience Jeff Kingston
9. Japan’s Renewable Power Prospects Andrew DeWit


Part 3: International Dynamics


10. Bad War or Good War? History and Politics in Postwar Japan Sven Saaler
11. Territorial Disputes with Korea and China: Small Islets, Enduring Conflicts Mark Selden
12. An Inconvenient Truce: Domestic Politics and the Russo-Japanese Northern Territories Dispute Tina Burrett
13. Okinawa Today: Spotlight on Henoko Alexis Dudden


Part 4: Social Dilemmas





14. Demographic Dilemmas, Women and Immigration Jeff Kingston
15. Reproductive Rights in Japan: Where do women stand? Tin Tin Htun
16. Hiding in Plain Sight: Minority Issues in Japan Kyle Cleveland
17. Mental Health and Therapy in Japan: Conceptions, Practices, and Challenges Sachiko Horiguchi
18. Violence in Schools: Tensions Between `the Individual’ and `the Group’ in the Japanese Education System Robert Aspinall
19. Hidden Behind Tokyo: Observations on the Rest of Japan John Mock





Part 5: Reforming Japan?





20. Seeking to Change Japanese Society Through Legal Reform Matthew J. Wilson
21. Parochialism – Japan's Failure to Internationalize Robert Dujarric and Ayumi Takenaka
22. What’s Behind what Ails Japan David Leheny