Economic Policy in Postwar Japan - by Kozo Yamamura (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Since the end of the Pacific War, Japan has, broadly speaking, pursued two economic policies: a "democratization" policy laid down by the Allied Powers, and subsequently a "de-democratization" policy formulated and vigorously pursued by the independent government. Yamamura here addresses himself to two central questions: What were the objectives and results of each policy? And why and how did the earlier one give way to the later? Yamamura never loses sight of his main theme--the transformation of the economic "democratization" policy of the Occupation period into the growth policy pursued by the Japanese government thereafter. He is concerned not so much to provide a comprehensive study of Japanese economic policy as to examine selected facets of it--for example, taxation policies, anti- and pro-monopoly legislation, the position of the Zaibatsu, and the social costs of economic concentration. He deals with topics that are hotly debated in Japan and elsewhere, but his tone is never polemical, and his judgments are cool and scholarly. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1967.

From the Back Cover

"With this book Professor Yamamura has made a valuable contribution to our understanding of Japan's postwar economic development; indeed, this should rank as one of the most important works on the subject that has appeared in English. It will command the attention and respect of students of economic development as well as of those who interest is directed at Japan. . . . Although the book is addressed primarily to students of economics and makes use of statistical techniques where these are called for, the technical apparatus is not paraded, and the serious general reader with only a modest acquaintance with modern economics can read it with interest. It will count as a indispensable book for all students of the Japanese economy." --G. C. Allen, University College, London

About the Author

Kozo Yamamura was a Professor in the School of International Studies at the University of Washington.