Organized by theme, this comprehensive encyclopedia examines all aspects of life in Japan, from geography and government to food and etiquette and much more. Japan, or the "Land of the Rising Sun," is home to more than 126 million people, nearly 10 million of whom live in Tokyo alone. How did this tiny island nation become such a powerhouse in the 21st century, and where will it go from here? Modern Japan examines history and contemporary life through thematic entries organized into chapters covering such topics as geography; history; government and politics; economy; religion and thought; social classes and ethnicity; gender, marriage, and sexuality; education; language; etiquette; literature and drama; art and architecture; music and dance; food; leisure and sports; and media and popular culture. Each chapter contains an overview of the topic and alphabetized entries on examples of each theme. A chronology covers from prehistoric times to the present, and special appendices offer profiles of a typical day in the life of representative members of Japanese society, key facts and figures about Japan, and a holiday chart. This volume is ideal for students researching Japan, as well as general readers interested in learning more about the country.

Autorentext
Louis G. Perez is Emeritus Professor of Japanese History at Illinois State University, USA (1986-2016). Among his many publications are such works as Modern Japan (2024), Tokyo: Geography, History, and Culture (2019), and PreModern Japan: A Historical Survey (2015). R. W. Purdy is an associate professor of history at John Carroll University in Ohio. He teaches courses on Japanese history and popular culture, and his research focuses on the Japanese news media during wartime. Purdy has served as a visiting scholar at Nanzan University and was a regular summer session instructor at Sophia University in Japan and published several articles on the Domei News Agency and the Nippon Newsreel Company. He received his PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his MLS and BA from Brigham Young University.

Inhalt
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: Geography
Chapter 2: History
Chapter 3: Government and Politics
Chapter 4: Economy
Chapter 5: Religion and Thought
Chapter 6: Social Classes and Ethnicity
Chapter 7: Gender, Marriage, and Sexuality
Chapter 8: Education
Chapter 9: Language
Chapter 10: Etiquette
Chapter 11: Literature and Drama
Chapter 12: Art and Architecture
Chapter 13: Music and Dance
Chapter 14: Food
Chapter 15: Leisure and Sports
Chapter 16: Mass Media and Popular Culture
Appendices
Selected Bibliography
Index
About the Authors