Japanese Economic History (3)

Author: Editor: Yuzo Yamamoto
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-12
Features: Volume 3 focuses on the 25-year period from the opening of the three ports in 1859 (Kenmei 6) to the end of the monetary crisis in 1985 (Meiji 18). During this quarter-century, Japan transitioned from a pre-modern society to a modern one, breaking down old systems while inheriting many legacies from the preceding era. Compared to the "Overviews" in other volumes, this volume's "Overview" adopts a slightly different approach. The "Overview" in this volume uses a narrative technique that vividly portrays the earth-shaking changes in Japan's social and economic structures brought about by the opening of ports and the Meiji Restoration, thereby highlighting the characteristics of this era. The "Introductions" in the subsequent chapters serve merely as supplementary notes. Regarding whether the three sections on "Military Modernization," "Formation of Social Capital," and "Financial Circulation" can be considered valid as "Overviews," the judgment is left to the readers.