Routledge Contemporary Japan Series
About the Book Series
The aim of this series is to publish original, high-quality work by both new and established scholars on all aspects of contemporary Japan.
Intercultural Communication in Japan: Theorizing Homogenizing Discourse
1st Edition
Edited
By Satoshi Toyosaki, Shinsuke Eguchi
August 14, 2018
Japan is heterogeneous and culturally diverse, both historically through ancient waves of immigration and in recent years due to its foreign relations and internationalization. However, Japan has socially, culturally, politically, and intellectually constructed a distinct and homogeneous identity. ...
Japanese Media at the Beginning of the 21st Century: Consuming the Past
1st Edition
By Katsuyuki Hidaka
August 14, 2018
Hailed by Japanese critics as a milestone in the study of contemporary Japanese media, this book explores the contemporary ‘boom’ in Japanese media representations of the recent past. Recent years have seen the production of an unprecedented number of films, animation, manga, and television ...
Fukushima and the Arts: Negotiating Nuclear Disaster
1st Edition
Edited
By Barbara Geilhorn, Kristina Iwata-Weickgenannt
May 11, 2018
The natural and man-made cataclysmic events of the 11 March 2011 disaster, or 3.11, have dramatically altered the status quo of contemporary Japanese society. While much has been written about the social, political, economic, and technical aspects of the disaster, this volume represents one of the ...
The End of Cool Japan: Ethical, Legal, and Cultural Challenges to Japanese Popular Culture
1st Edition
Edited
By Mark McLelland
May 11, 2018
Today’s convergent media environment offers unprecedented opportunities for sourcing and disseminating previously obscure popular culture material from Japan. However, this presents concerns regarding copyright, ratings and exposure to potentially illegal content which are serious problems for ...
Japan's Border Issues: Pitfalls and Prospects
1st Edition
By Akihiro Iwashita
February 12, 2018
Japan was sometimes described as a country of "peace" during the Cold War period, in contrast to the continental border conflicts taking place at the time, such as the China-Soviet rivalry. However, as the maritime frontier was "rediscovered" and defined by the regional powers and legal refinements...
Regional Administration in Japan: Departure from uniformity
1st Edition
By Shunsuke Kimura
December 21, 2017
In Japan, the main local administrative affairs are traditionally allotted to prefectures and municipalities, while communal disposal systems, fire-fighting and regional development takes secondary importance. However, two new changes to the frame of local governments have altered the main ...
Social Inequality in Post-Growth Japan: Transformation during Economic and Demographic Stagnation
1st Edition
Edited
By David Chiavacci, Carola Hommerich
December 21, 2017
In recent decades Japan has changed from a strongly growing, economically successful nation regarded as prime example of social equality and inclusion, to a nation with a stagnating economy, a shrinking population and a very high proportion of elderly people. Within this, new forms of inequality ...
Japan's Foreign Aid to Africa: Angola and Mozambique within the TICAD Process
1st Edition
By Pedro Amakasu Raposo
November 22, 2017
The Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) was established in 1993 with the intention of creating opportunities for trade and investment on both sides and the promotion of sustainable development. In 2003, the conference translated Japanese aid policy to Africa into three key...
Japanese Women in Science and Engineering: History and Policy Change
1st Edition
By Naonori Kodate, Kashiko Kodate
November 22, 2017
The gender gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) varies greatly from country to country, and the number of Japanese women in these fields remains relatively few. This prompts us to ask why the proportion of female scientists in Japan is still remarkably low and what ...
Japan and the High Treason Incident
1st Edition
Edited
By Masako Gavin, Ben Middleton
October 12, 2017
The ‘High Treason Incident’ rocked Japanese society between 1910 and 1911, when police discovered that a group of anarchists and socialists were plotting to assassinate the Emperor Meiji. Following a trial held in camera, twelve of the so-called conspirators were hanged, but while the executions ...
Japan's Local Newspapers: Chihōshi and Revitalization Journalism
1st Edition
By Anthony Rausch
August 09, 2017
Japan is one of the world’s most literate societies. Its national newspapers are the most read newspapers in the world, and the country also has a very vibrant local newspaper sector. This book assesses the vital role local newspapers play in the development of local communities, as well as ...
Decision-Making Reform in Japan: The DPJ’s Failed Attempt at a Politician-Led Government
1st Edition
By Karol Zakowski
June 30, 2017
In the election to the House of Representatives in 2009, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) almost tripled the number of its lower house members by winning 308 seats. It subsequently formed a coalition government with the Social Democratic Party and the People’s New Party. The new ruling party ...