Japan has attracted the attention of historians from all over the world since ancient times, as it is one of the most complex social formations in human history. In "Readings on Contemporary Japan", the author attempts, on the basis of a collection of his own articles, to offer an analysis of various phenomena characteristic of Japanese society today. It is the author's hope that this book will be seen as a modest contribution to a holistic understanding of this unique country and that it will fan the flames of debate among those who have made the history of the nation of the rising sun their passion.