This two-volume book, a revision and translation of a multi-disciplinary research project carried out by the Institute of Social Science at the University of Tokyo, analyzes the Japanese political economy from an historical perspective in order to provide a balanced view between the optimism of the 1980s and the pessimism of the 1990s. Paying particular attention to the changes in Japan's contemporary political economy that have come "from below," the authors consider marginalized social actors such as opposition parties, the aged, and female and foreign workers alongside more mainstream...

Between 1868 (when it came to power) and 1890, the Meiji Government wielded despotic power, and was able to strengthen the military and promote industry for as long as its finances permitted. After the Diet (parliament) was established, however, the Government found itself facing challenges to this policy from the popular parties. The parties demanded that government expenditures and the burden of tax falling on the farmers should be decreased. They also demanded that despotic government should be replaced by party cabinets. But by 1900 one of the most popular parties had given up its demand...

Between 1868 (when it came to power) and 1890, the Meiji Government wielded despotic power, and was able to strengthen the military and promote industry for as long as its finances permitted. After the Diet (parliament) was established, however, the Government found itself facing challenges to this policy from the popular parties. The parties demanded that government expenditures and the burden of tax falling on the farmers should be decreased. They also demanded that despotic government should be replaced by party cabinets. But by 1900 one of the most popular parties had given up its demand...

Over the course of the period 1857 to 1937 in Japan, six distinct stages can be identified as the country moved from Shogun rule and its subsequent overthrow, from industrialisation and investment to the Meiji Constitution and then from Taishō democracy to Shōwa fascism. In this book, Junji Banno stresses the mutual relationships between each period, and to this end renames then accordingly: the age of reform; age of revolution; age of construction; age of management; age of reorganisation; and age of crisis.

Following this model, the book covers eighty years of history in...