Current books on Japan

[Lee Noble]

A very interesting book on Japan is "The Enigma of Japanese Power," by
Karel van Wolferen. It was originally published in 1989, but it is
still as timely now as it was then.

It is not about Japan's international influence (or lack of) as I first
thought. It is about the distibution of power within Japanese society,
economy and politics. His main observation is that those who exercise
power in Japan are the most adept at eluding responsibity and
accountability for it.

The book is not very academic; some of the arguments and observations
that the author makes deserve much better documentation. It is a
subjective interpretation of the way power is used in Japan by the
wealthy and powerful to control their society.

I've heard that some Japanese have been infuriated by it. It is
confrontaional in tone and critical Japan at times. And whether or not
you accept what the book asserts, it is very interesting to read. At
the very least, "The Inigma of Japanese Power" will provide some
insight into what more sympathetic studies have completely failed to
explain. I think anyone interested in studying or doing business with
Japan would find it usefull.