"Something has gone terribly wrong in Japan. As the country slowly declines into an East Asian version of Argentina, the world wants to know what happened to the economic powerhouse of the Pacific. There is no better place to start than with Mayumi Itoh's study of the Hatoyama Dynasty-three generations of Japanese political leaders from the visionaries of the Meiji ... Read moreera to the spluttering mediocrities of today. Itoh demonstrates that Japan's problems are primarily political, not economic, and that wholesale reform of its 'one-party democracy' is desperately needed. This book is cutting-edge research on the world's second most productive country." - Chalmers Johnson, author of MITI and the Japanese Miracle and Japan: Who Governs? "Mayumi Itoh has written an intriguing account of one of the most important family dynasties in twentieth century Japanese politics. More than an analysis of the politicians in the Hatoyama family, this book offers a sweeping panorama of modern Japan's political history." - Gerald Curtis, Professor of Political Science, Columbia University "A pioneering study of four generations of Japan's most prominent political family which sheds much light both on the strengths and the weaknesses of the Japanese political system." -Donald S. Zagoria, Professor of Government, Hunter College Mayumi Itoh has done those of us fascinated by "leadership" an immeasurable service by taking us into the lives - the setbacks and triumphs - of the men and women of the Hatoyama dynasty, arguably Japan's most important political family. Mayumi Itoh's Hatoyama Dynasty is not only a treat; it is essential reading for those who want to understand the fragile origins and ongoing trials of Japanese leadership and democracy. - Steve Clemons, Executive Director, Japan Policy Research Institute Show Less