The Showa Period covers the reign of Emperor Hirohito (1926-1989), encompassing war and destruction of the Japanese empire, the occupation, recovery from the ruins of war and Japan's emergence as an economic superpower. But what defines Showa historically? What sets Showa apart from the history of Meiji and Taisho Japan? Whereas historians have traditionally approached this question by splitting "prewar" and "postwar" the emphasis in this anthology is on long-term continuities which were decisive in shaping modern Japan. The readings address such crucial issues as the nature of the imperial state, why Japan embarked upon war early in the period, the impact of the occupation, the dilemmas of Japanese democracy, the social costs and international repercussions of exceptionalism, and Japan's evolving world role. With 1945 marking the beginning of a new era, the emphasis in this anthology is on long-term continuities which were decisive in shaping modern Japan.
The readings address such crucial issues as the nature of the imperial state, why Japan embarked upon war early in the period, the impact of the occupation, the dilemmas of Japanese democracy, the social costs and international repercussions of exceptionalism, and Japan's evolving world role. A representative cross-section of works by international scholars in Japanese history, and chosen for their interpretative thrust and narrative clarity, the articles included here offer a variety of perspectives on this vital and controversial period in 20th-century Japanese history.