Since the death of Hirohito in 1989 and the end of the Cold War, Japan has experienced significant changes: the rise of China; a prolonged recession after the postwar economic miracle; and sustained pressured from the US to expand its security role. This book provides an overview of Japan today, setting in context socio-economic, political and cultural developments. Jeffrey Kingston provides an expert guide to the dynamics operating within Japanese society, showing how its problems are also the driving force behind its ongoing reinvention. In doing so he explains such factors as the emergence of a more robust civil society; the breakdown of family life and traditional patterns of employment; the West's fascination with Japanese popular culture; and the challenges facing political leaders as they negotiate Japan's place in the wider global community.