Juri Abe & Hisanori Kato 
Japanese Civilization in the 21st Century 

This book is a comprehensive synthesis of Japanese civilization in the 21st century. It covers all major elements of this civilization with a strong emphasis on how it can develop further in the future. All nations strive for prominence, but few reach it. Over the last 61 years (1965-2016), Japan has achieved this uncommon status. But, where is Japan heading in the 21st century? This question has been asked since the 1990s; Japan has been in a stagnant-deflation stage and has been looking for all sorts of solutions to return to the prosperous times reflecting Pax Niponnica in the 1970s and 1980s. The context of this situation and some recommendations for the future of Japanese culture are provided in this book. Nowadays, Japan is the third largest economy of the world, second only to China in the 2010s. Its economy performs at near zero growth, due primarily to its aging society, which is actually positive since the Japanese have the longest lifespan in the world today and slow growth does not unsustainably deplete resources and nature. Japan’s new purpose should be in the development of a sustainably wise civilization and its world-wide dissemination. Does Japanese civilization have a chance to trigger another reform and be successful again in the 21st century? This question has been pondered by several co-authors of the book. This monograph is written for those who are interested in the contemporary issues of the world’s globalization and the role of leading countries in this process. With this in mind, students, faculty, social and political activists from around the world should be interested in this book.