Saionji Kinmochi was an aristocrat, a scholar and a progressive liberal politician who twice occupied the highest political office in the nation and who, during three decades, as adviser to three Emperors, coordinated and directed Japanese politics. His long life encompassed the emergence of the modern Japanese state, the establishment of the constitution, the integration of Japan into the inter-war, international community and the creation, and subsequent erosion of the democratic process. The story of his twilight years chronicles the conflicts between the goals of liberalism and internationalism which dominated Japanese politics in the 1920s and the right-wing militarism which held sway in the years leading to the Pacific War. He was a central figure in the turbulent, formative period of Japan's political ideology.

In this important, thought-provoking, and wide-ranging study, Yasuhiro Nakasone, one of the most highly regarded former prime ministers of Japan, considers what should be Japan's strategic direction in the twenty-first century. Japan is often accused of lacking a vision, being slow to respond to changing circumstances, and then only responding reluctantly, with piecemeal changes. Nakasone, broadly agreeing with this view, considers why things should be so, and goes on to put forward a vision for Japan for the twenty-first century. He emphasises in particular the need for radical change in economic policy, education, defence and science and technology policy, and argues for amendments to the constitution.

Saionji Kinmochi was an aristocrat, a scholar and a progressive liberal politician who twice occupied the highest political office in the nation and who, during three decades, as adviser to three Emperors, coordinated and directed Japanese politics. His long life encompassed the emergence of the modern Japanese state, the establishment of the constitution, the integration of Japan into the inter-war, international community and the creation, and subsequent erosion of the democratic process. The story of his twilight years chronicles the conflicts between the goals of liberalism and internationalism which dominated Japanese politics in the 1920s and the right-wing militarism which held sway in the years leading to the Pacific War. He was a central figure in the turbulent, formative period of Japan's political ideology.