Kenneth J. Ruoff is Professor of History and Director of the Center for Japanese Studies at Portland State University.
Ruoff is a clear-eyed observer of the post-occupation battle for
Japan’s soul that pitted left against right over issues such as
constitutional revision, the reign-names system and the
authenticity of the national foundation myth. In doing so, he
breaks down the all-too-prevalent tendency to view Japanese
politics, of the immediate postwar and present, as monolithic and
staunchly conservative.
*New Statesman*
The People’s Emperor is certain to be one of the most-discussed
books of the coming year.
*International Herald Tribune/Asahi News Service*
This intriguing and rewarding monograph examines the manner in
which the Emperor system has been reinvented in postwar Japan to
reflect and reinforce democratic values. Kenneth Ruoff successfully
challenges some prevailing myths and stereotypes about modern Japan
and helpfully unravels distorting monolithic images about
right-wing politics. His interesting discussion of constitutional
controversies and key issues that expose cross-cutting political
cleavages provocatively recasts the political landscape, clarifies
some of the paradoxes of the polity and demonstrates that civil
society is neither as anemic or stagnant as some writers
suggest.
*Japan Times*
A stimulating analysis of the contemporary Japanese monarchy.
*Le Monde*
Kenneth J. Ruoff’s scholarly yet lucid account of the emperor’s
role in post-war Japanese society is a timely addition to the
literature on this intriguing institution. It also provides a
fascinating insight into post-war Japan’s political struggles… This
is an excellent work of accessible history. Sensitive to the
nuances of an enigmatic political culture, it is perhaps best
recommended for those already with an interest in Japan.
*South China Morning Post*
[A] remarkable book… An even-handed, astute and often entertaining
account of the Japanese monarchy in the latter half of the 20th
century.
*Far Eastern Economic Review*
Ruoff’s book is a fine study with appeal well beyond academe.
*Oregonian*
Ruoff argues that the myth of the Japanese monarch was invented to
preserve the imperial system in the postwar era after the WWII
defeat… Ruoff argues that Hirohito was more actively involved in
the decision making in the wartime military government than has
been thought. What is new is that Ruoff describes the evolution of
the monarch in the postwar period—the monarchy’s efforts to
transform itself from a once-sacrosanct throne into a ‘monarchy of
the masses,’ especially by Hirohito’s son, Emperor Akihito… [This
is] a fine study of the Japanese postwar imperial system.
*Choice*
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