A thorough empirical and theoretical analysis of the Japanese main bank system, this book also examines the relevance of the system as a model for developing market economies and transforming socialist economies the world over. The basic characteristics of the main bank system are examined here: its roots, development, and role in the heyday of its rapid growth, as well as its performance, strengths and weaknesses. The work goes on to look at how the system has changed over the last two decades. The contributors conclude that banking-based systems are in most cases the most appropriate for...