Table of Contents

Preface Introduction 1. The Path of Contemporary Japanese Politics: Four Stages of Development 2. The Dominance of the Bureaucracy System 3. The Effectiveness of Parliamentary Politics 4. Changing Attitudes: Public Opinion and Politics 5. Selecting People of Influence 6. "Local Politics: The Frontier of Japanese Politics" 7. Gender and Japanese Politics: Transformation by Women 8. The Gap Between Politics and Economics 9. Globalization and National Security 10. Japan's Nuclear Power Politics

About the Author

Igarashi Akio is Professor Emeritus at Rikkyo University in Tokyo, Japan. He has written extensively on issues involving globalization, comprehensive security, referenda, and, most recently, gender politics.