Making Common Sense of Japan

by Steven R. Reed

A 'must read' for anybody who teaches about or is interested in contemporary Japan. . . . Excellent seminar reading."--Masaru Kohno

Genres: Japan, Nonfiction

200 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Rike · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best book I have read on Japanese culture in the context of political science so far. It is very readable - even funny at times - and explains basic cultural, economic and political facts in accessible, everyday language. One of the major messages is that Japan is a normal country. I had guessed so - but I'm relieved the author confirms my suspicions! Only pity is that despite its new looks (apparently no one had borrowed it from the library so far) it is already 20 years old. Still: Definitely worth the quick read!

[Hots Hartley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Overly pedantic.

The writer shares a few anecdotes that brought the writing back down to earth in a positive way, but mostly the book meanders from theoretic musing to comparative politics.

I didn't find much I could apply to everyday Japan; the closest this book came was describing the environment and context that leads many Japanese people to behave the way they do, but the description rarely boiled down to everyday life. There was little to no mention of shopping, popular culture, the life of a schoolboy, and home life. I didn't want to read about "permanent employment" in the general sense; rather, a more concrete, grounded discussion of a salaryman or individual experience would have been more engaging and more applicable.

The book was a struggle to finish, and I didn't walk away with a sense of heightened awareness or understanding.

[Phil Eaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts out with way too much digression into the author's personal philosophies. It gets good halfway through as you realize the book is actually a critique of market practices. Only in the final chapter is it clarified that the book's fundamental takeaway from Japan is that "government intervention can accelerate economic growth". But the section on business-corporate cooperation is also notable for its clear critique of "MITI and the Japanese Miracle".