This textbook presents a comprehensive overview of the political systems of East Asia in its expanded and updated 4th edition. Readers will find chapters on the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Japan, and South and North Korea. The introduction focuses on institutional and societal change in the individual systems, drawing on social science theories and also undertaking a comparative analysis. The book is thus an indispensable volume for an in-depth understanding of the processes of change in a dynamic world region.