'... a sophisticated, serious and well-researched analysis of the inner workings of Japanese society. The text is at once accessible and insightful, full of informative detail and strengthened by carefully crafted generalizations.' - Carin Holroyd, Bishop's University, Quebec 'A carefully written, thought-out book, judiciously balancing the mainstream with the marginal, the universal with ... Read morethe particular and historical trajectories with contemporary issues. Ken Henshall's unorthodox approach is aimed at dismantling stereotypes and is necessary for a society as mythologized and orientalized as Japan's. His accomplishment is no mean task, especially because he is discussing a civilization so often misunderstood, but by combining up-to-date statistics, history, and qualitative interpretation, he offers a portrait of a heterogeneous, complex, and dynamic society. He also lucidly illustrates, that like any society, Japan is open to social scientific methodology. This is a book recommended both for the beginning student of Japan and the specialist who requires a handy citation.' - Brian McVeigh, author of Life in a Japanese Women's College and The Nature of the Japanese State Show Less