Japan As Number One: Lessons for America

by Ezra F. Vogel

Based on the most up-to-date sources, as well as extensive research and direct observation, Japan as Number One analyzes the island nation's development into one of the world's most effective industrial powers, in terms of not only economic productivity but also its ability to govern efficiently, to eduate its citizens, to control crime, to alleviate energy shortages, and to lessen pollution. Ezra Vogel employs criteria that America has traditionally used to measure success in his thoughtful demonstration of how and why Japanese institutions have coped far more effectively than their American counterparts.

Genres: Japan, History, Nonfiction, Asia, Japanese Literature, Society

292 pages, Paperback

First published May 22, 1979

About the author

Ezra Feivel Vogel was an American sociologist who wrote prolifically on modern Japan, China, and Korea. He was Henry Ford II Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University.

Vogel was born to a family of Jewish immigrants in 1930 in Delaware, Ohio. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1950 and received his Ph.D. from the Department of Social Relations in 1958 from Harvard.

After two years of field work in Japan, Vogel worked as an assistant professor at Yale University from 1960 to 1961, but returned to Harvard for post-doctoral work on Chinese language and history. He was appointed as a lecturer in 1964, later becoming a tenured professor; he remained at Harvard until his retirement.

Vogel was involved with several research centers during his career. He was director of Harvard's East Asian Research Center from 1972 to 1977 and chairman of the Council for East Asian Studies from 1977 to 1980. He also was director of the Program on US–Japan Relations at the Center for International Affairs from 1980 to 1987, and was named honorary director upon stepping down. He was director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies from 1973 to 1975 and from 1995 to 1999. He was founding director of the Asia Center (1997–1999).

Vogel retired on June 30, 2000.

Reviews

[Gwern · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moved to gwern.net.

[Lucky · Rating 3 out of 5]

借鉴意义是有的，只是太不严谨了，几乎没有逻辑论证且经常是倒果为因，把大量事实铺排开来紧跟着就是一顿夸，看得我一愣一愣的，内心直叹“这也行？” 可以理解傅高义想从东方模式里寻找能够修复西方模式漏洞的急切愿望，他甚至还引用了鲁迅的铁屋以表达自己的心情，然而这种缺乏检验与辩证的写作，恐怕只能被当成是月亮还是国外圆的又一典型。

[Chant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ironically, I picked this book up in Tokyo, I don't know why I mention it, but it seemed appropriate.

Concerning the book, it is a great book on Japan and why it was such a power house in terms of the economy and why it came to be a powerhouse. We have to remember this book was published before the bubble popped.

I think the book would be best fitted for Mainland Chinese and learn how not to bust like the Japanese did in the 1990s. Which I should note that this book is apparently selling quite well now in Mainland China.

[meidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction for any beginner of japanese studies. This book is enjoyable to read, and provides you with brief image of Japan's success in economy, politics, business, education , and other social aspects.

[Kirby · Rating 1 out of 5]

Based on faulty research by someone who knows very little about Japan.

[Bargou · Rating 5 out of 5]

شهادة حية من مفكر أمريكي أعطى طريقة العيش اليابانية اللتي تختلف تماماً عن أمريكا

[sophytoeat · Rating 3 out of 5]

現在の日本の欠点とされている部分が、昔は優位な点とされていたのが面白い。
敗者は徹底的に叩かれ、勝者は徹底的に称賛される。

[keallelogram · Rating 2 out of 5]

I kind of skimmed it because it seemed so stuck in its moment in the 70s or early eighties and gave me no context for how those ways of running government or businesses came apart or why they could lead to whatever is happening now. It also was just not well written

[Reading]

《日本第一》（美）傅高义。

1979

[Rein Gold · Rating 1 out of 5]

可能和我现在年代久远，作者似乎倾注了大量的单相思式的描写。
或者是译者的笔法，充分的让人感觉到这不是一个严谨的学术作品，或者难以出自一个学者之手。

[DBC · Rating 4 out of 5]

因为出差耽误了看书进度，今天终于看完了《日本第一》，一直以为作者傅高义是中国人，后来才发现是美国人。读完后突然对于近期那么多政策有了一些新的看法和感悟，跟着时代走永远不会错。 ​​​

[东北风 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seems more relevant to America now than ever. (chuckles)

Don't be put off by the title of the book. The author does state explicitly in the foreword that it is meant to highlight what worked for Japan as a reference food for thought. Deficiencies in the Japanese systems are mentioned and summarized in concluding chapter.

[coki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Menghadapi tantangan, dan sukses. Jalan yang dilalui dari sebuah negara yang secara fisik sempat hancur berantakan. Kemajuannya kini membuat cemas Amerika, dan negara barat yang lain, dengan tidak meninggalkan tradisi-tradisi kebudayaannya.

Sebenarnya saya malas membaca buku kemajuan bangsa lain, karena hanya akan menambah kesedihan saya saat melihat bangsa Indonesia (yang tidak berdikari, dan ironisnya terkadang melupakan budaya sendiri, budaya Indonesia sebagai bangsa timur). Namun, buku ini tetap saya baca karena memang saya tertarik dengan sesuatu yang progres dan percaya pada perubahan.

[Leonardo]

Hacia 1979, Japón era el principal rival de IBM en la fabricación de ordenadores,17 y un libro titulado Japón n." 1 atrajo la atención a ambos lados del Pacífico. En él se atribuía buena parte del éxito empresarial japonés a su insaciable hambre de conocimiento y su énfasis en la formación, con la importación de asesores extranjeros y el envío de innumerables equipos a visitar los centros mundiales donde se aplicaba el conocimiento más avanzado.

La Revolución de la Riqueza Pág.228

[Yuran · Rating 1 out of 5]

带着学术书的期待读它似乎不合适。这本书与其说是对日本的再评价，不如说是傅高义本人在《日本第一》出版后二十年的研究和交流见闻的回顾。作为一个2020年的简体中文使用者，我会觉得傅高义的视角不够下沉、细致，对政商关系也缺乏独到观点，但我当然也知道我是在吃时代的红利。总而言之，不喜欢精英和高层的人士看到书里大篇的交游记录会讨厌这种背人名行为，但喜欢的人也会觉得这本书和作者本身就代表了一种理想的研究生活。
But who cares.

[Doanduckhiem]

556

[Jim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read this book for a class at the University of Southern Mississippi.

[Tran Khanh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interest for students study Japan's economy!

[Mostafa Geraw · Rating 1 out of 5]

ممل لدرجه كبيرة

[Okevo01 · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was quite interesting book for me. A great book about understanding how Japan became Number 1

Thanks. Kevin

[Reading]

《日本还是第一吗》（美）傅高义。