At the start of a new century, Japan finds itself confronted with an economic challenge that is unlike any it has faced since the end of World War II. Most commentators agree that Japan has to change. The issue is the form and direction that such a change must take. While many Western economists forcefully urge the Japanese to become more like the US, there are other academics who have registered strong reservations to such a simplistic solution. In this volume, noted scholars take opposing positions on key issues including financial reform, corporate change and international trade. The editor contributes a thought-provoking introduction which also presents an overview of the topic. The papers gathered here present an opportunity for readers to consider the underlying conflicts in Japan's economy and society that makes choosing a new direction such a difficult proposition.

Economic Reform in Japan is a coherent and eminently readable book designed to provoke further discussion amongst scholars and researchers of Japan and East Asia, economists, political scientists and sociologists.