Revised and updated papers originally presented at the 7th Japanese-German Geographical Conference, Aug. 16-27, 1992, in Heidelberg and Duisburg, Germany.

A welcome addition to any reading list for those interested in contemporary Japanese society. - Roger Goodman, Nissan Professor of Modern Japanese Society, University of Oxford "I know no better book for an accessible and up-to-date introduction to this complex subject than The SAGE Handbook of Modern Japan Studies." - Hiroko Takeda, Associate Professor, Organization for Global Japanese Studies, University of Tokyo "Pioneering and nuanced in analysis, yet highly accessible and engaging in style." - Yoshio Sugimoto, Emeritus Professor, La Trobe University The SAGE Handbook of Modern Japanese Studies includes outstanding contributions from a diverse group of leading academics from across the globe. This volume is designed to serve as a major interdisciplinary reference work and a seminal text, both rigorous and accessible, to assist students and scholars in understanding one of the major nations of the world. James D. Babb is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology at Newcastle University.

Are Japanese people religious – and, if so, in what ways? David Lewis addresses this question from the perspective of ordinary Japanese people in the context of their life cycles, and explores why they engage in religious activities. He not only discusses how Japanese people engage in different religious practices as they encounter new events in their lives but also analyses the attitudes and motivations behind their behaviour. Activities such as fortune-telling, religious rites in the workplace, ancestral rites and visits to shrines and temples are actually engaged in by many people who view themselves as ‘non- religious’ but express their motivations in terms other than the conventional ‘religious’ ones. This book outlines the religious options available, and assesses why people choose particular religious activities at various times in their lives or in specific circumstances. The author challenges some widespread assumptions about religion in urban and industrial contexts and also shows how some of the underlying motivations behind Japanese behaviour are expressed both in religious and non-religious forms.

Restructuring Japanese Business for Growth consists of eighteen previously unpublished invited chapters by experts on Japanese business. It will attract both commercial and academic interest. Japanese business can be expected to continue to be of great importance in global and Asian economics, especially as the Japanese economy is the dominant economy in Asia, being larger than all other Asian economies combined. Policymakers and business people interested in understanding Japanese financial markets will find this book useful. In addition, this book should be a valuable resource for undergraduate, graduate, and executive development courses in international business, global finance, and Japanese business.

China, the European Union and Global Governance examines the key determinants of European and Chinese approaches to the restructuring of global governance systems. Using a multidisciplinary method, this collection of chapters analyses four distinct fields that are key for both China and the EU and in the development of their relations and future cooperation: the global trading system, the international monetary system, climate and energy policy and international security. In the context of ChinaÍs growing role in global governance and of EU_China cooperation, these contributions emphasize strategies, prospects and objectives of both actors. They outline possible avenues for an enhanced partnership in light of the changing global order, which implies a rethinking of the existing multilateral structures. This interdisciplinary study will appeal to researchers and scholars interested in global governance, European foreign policy, Chinese foreign policy, EU_China relations, as well as trade, the international economy and climate change policies. Postgraduate students in international relations, international political economy, European studies and Chinese studies, as well as policymakers in the areas of external relations and EU_China relations, will also find much to interest them in this book.

Published in 1998, this book provides detailed information on the financial markets in selected Central European transitioning economies. The independent countries selected for study in the text are Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. The former East Germany is also include due to its proximity to the above countries and its unique experience in the transition process. Each country's section of the book contains articles written by professionals in the selected country. These individuals are economists, central bankers and/or analysts who have first-hand knowledge of the financial system. Each section details: the development in the banking sector plus the role of the central bank and the government in guiding the economy toward the market system; discuses the emerging capital markets and the ongoing process of privatization; and provides an update of the economic progress toward a market system that has been achieved since 1989.

This book analyzes and assesses corporate restructuring and governance in transition countries focusing on the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Russia. Using original material and publications in local languages, the book addresses the core issues for these countries in transformation into competitive market economies.

The studies in this two-volume work shed new light on the range and viability of the emerging corporate governance institutions in the transitional economies of Central Europe. Regional specialists and experts on corporate governance in advanced economies examine the emerging forms of ownership and complementary monitoring institutions in leading transition companies.