Japan as Number One: Lessons for America is a book by Ezra Vogel published in 1979 by Harvard University Press arguing that Americans should understand the Japanese experience and be willing to learn from it. The Japanese translation sold nearly half a million copies in the year after it was published, making it the all-time best-seller in Japan of non-fiction by a Western author.[1][2]
Vogel introduces the volume saying, "convinced that Japan had lessons for other countries, I was no longer content to look at Japan only as a fascinating intellectual mystery, I wanted to understand the success of the Japanese in dealing with practical questions.[3]
Part One, "The Japanese Challenge," outlines the argument developed in the nine chapters of Part Two: "Japanese Successes," that explains "Knowledge: Pursuit and Consensus," "The State: Meritocratic Guidance and Private Initiative," "Politics: Higher Interests and Fair Shares," "The Large Company: Identification and Performance," "Basic Education: Quality and Equality," "Welfare: Security without Entitlement," and "Crime Control: Enforcement and Public Support."
Reception and critical reactionedit
John W. Dower's overview of American post-war scholarship on Japan saw Vogel's work as part of a larger move beyond either seeing Japan as a modernizing nation that would come to more and more resemble the American industrial model or seeing the country from a new point of view skeptical of "Western hegemonism and cultural imperialism" that rejected modernization theory as hubris. Japan as Number One, Dower continued, although criticized by specialists, "essentially overturned the tables of popular discourse by suggesting what had previously been heresy: that 'the West' might learn from 'the East' -- and not merely about values, but about practical ways of organizing a modern society". [4] Another overview of the field commented that "Vogel's once popular book was the most influential of the huge number of books that sought to draw lessons for the West from Japan's economic achievements. Much of the information that forms the basis of his enthusiastic approach is now outdated, but his discussion is not as one-sided as later critics have suggested, and the book remains readable." [5]
Editions and sequelsedit
Vogel, Ezra F. (1979). Japan as Number One: Lessons for America. Cambridge, Ma: Harvard University Press.
———— (1986). Japan as Number One: Revisited. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. ISBN9971988607.
—— (2000). Is Japan Still Number One?. Subang Jaya: Pelanduk Publications. ISBN9679787281.
Reviews and further readingedit
Azumi, Koya (1980), "(review) Japan as Number One", The Journal of Asian Studies, 39 (2): 370–372, doi:10.2307/2054312, JSTOR 2054312
Bronfenbrenner, Martin (1979). "Japan as Number One: Lessons for America (Review)". Challenge. 22 (4): 66–67. doi:10.1080/05775132.1979.11470556.
Dower, John (1998). "Sizing Up (and Breaking Down) Japan". In Hardacre, Helen (ed.). The Postwar Development of Japanese Studies in the United States. Leiden: Brill. pp. 37–84.
Ike, Nobutaka (1980). "(Review)". The American Political Science Review. 74 (1): 280–281. doi:10.2307/1955768. JSTOR 1955768.
Heenan, Patrick (1998). The Japan Handbook. London, Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn. ISBN9781579580551.
Seidensticker, Edward; Hellmann, Donald C.; Saito, Takashi (1980). "Views of Japan as Number One". Journal of Japanese Studies. 6 (2): 416–439. doi:10.2307/132336. JSTOR 132336.
Notesedit
^Professor Ezra Vogel Harvard University Home Page.
^Chandra, Vipan (11 February 1980), "What Can Japan Teach Us?", Christian Science Monitor
japan, number, lessons, america, book, ezra, vogel, published, 1979, harvard, university, press, arguing, that, americans, should, understand, japanese, experience, willing, learn, from, japanese, translation, sold, nearly, half, million, copies, year, after, . Japan as Number One Lessons for America is a book by Ezra Vogel published in 1979 by Harvard University Press arguing that Americans should understand the Japanese experience and be willing to learn from it The Japanese translation sold nearly half a million copies in the year after it was published making it the all time best seller in Japan of non fiction by a Western author 1 2 Contents 1 Background and argument 2 Reception and critical reaction 3 Editions and sequels 4 Reviews and further reading 5 NotesBackground and argument editVogel introduces the volume saying convinced that Japan had lessons for other countries I was no longer content to look at Japan only as a fascinating intellectual mystery I wanted to understand the success of the Japanese in dealing with practical questions 3 Part One The Japanese Challenge outlines the argument developed in the nine chapters of Part Two Japanese Successes that explains Knowledge Pursuit and Consensus The State Meritocratic Guidance and Private Initiative Politics Higher Interests and Fair Shares The Large Company Identification and Performance Basic Education Quality and Equality Welfare Security without Entitlement and Crime Control Enforcement and Public Support Reception and critical reaction editJohn W Dower s overview of American post war scholarship on Japan saw Vogel s work as part of a larger move beyond either seeing Japan as a modernizing nation that would come to more and more resemble the American industrial model or seeing the country from a new point of view skeptical of Western hegemonism and cultural imperialism that rejected modernization theory as hubris Japan as Number One Dower continued although criticized by specialists essentially overturned the tables of popular discourse by suggesting what had previously been heresy that the West might learn from the East and not merely about values but about practical ways of organizing a modern society 4 Another overview of the field commented that Vogel s once popular book was the most influential of the huge number of books that sought to draw lessons for the West from Japan s economic achievements Much of the information that forms the basis of his enthusiastic approach is now outdated but his discussion is not as one sided as later critics have suggested and the book remains readable 5 Editions and sequels editVogel Ezra F 1979 Japan as Number One Lessons for America Cambridge Ma Harvard University Press 1986 Japan as Number One Revisited Institute of Southeast Asian Studies ISBN 9971988607 2000 Is Japan Still Number One Subang Jaya Pelanduk Publications ISBN 9679787281 Reviews and further reading editAzumi Koya 1980 review Japan as Number One The Journal of Asian Studies 39 2 370 372 doi 10 2307 2054312 JSTOR 2054312 Bronfenbrenner Martin 1979 Japan as Number One Lessons for America Review Challenge 22 4 66 67 doi 10 1080 05775132 1979 11470556 Dower John 1998 Sizing Up and Breaking Down Japan In Hardacre Helen ed The Postwar Development of Japanese Studies in the United States Leiden Brill pp 37 84 Ike Nobutaka 1980 Review The American Political Science Review 74 1 280 281 doi 10 2307 1955768 JSTOR 1955768 Heenan Patrick 1998 The Japan Handbook London Chicago Fitzroy Dearborn ISBN 9781579580551 Seidensticker Edward Hellmann Donald C Saito Takashi 1980 Views of Japan as Number One Journal of Japanese Studies 6 2 416 439 doi 10 2307 132336 JSTOR 132336 Notes edit Professor Ezra Vogel Harvard University Home Page Chandra Vipan 11 February 1980 What Can Japan Teach Us Christian Science Monitor Vogel 1979 p viii Dower 1998 p 11 12 Heenan 1998 p 307 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Japan as Number One Lessons for America amp oldid 1145231985, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
