Understanding Japanese Society (PDF)

With the increase in contacts between Japan and the rest of the world has come an urgent need to understand a society that is fascinating, but often confusing to the outsider. The third edition of this classic text brings the understanding of Japan into a global context and questions the stereotyped impression of the Japanese often held by those in the rest of the world.

Investigating Japanese society through the perspective of a local resident from childhood into adult life, Hendry brings her book fully up to date by covering all aspects of life in the early twenty-first century. She presents the effects on Japanese people of religious fanaticism, disaffection with politicians, the Kobe earthquake, and the so-called 'lost-years' of economic recession, while simultaneously admiring the newly vitalised civil society which has emerged. By identifying a new acceptance of internal diversity, alongside a playful fascination with foreign fare, Understanding Japanese Society presents a more complex and positive view of Japan to counter balance the oft-reported picture of economic doom and seriousness.

This book is an invaluable tool to students wishing to gain a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of Japanese society and culture. It will also enlighten those travellers and business people interested in learning more about the diverse life styles of the Japanese people.