'Democracy in Post-War Japan' assesses the development of democracy through the writings of the brilliant political thinker Maruyama Masao. The author explores the significance of Maruyama's notion of personal and social autonomy and its impact on the development of a distinctively Japanese democratic ideal. This book, based on contemporary documents and on interviews with Maruyama, is the only full-scale analysis of his work and thought to be published in English.

Leftist thought and activism stands as a defining force in the articulation of political culture and policy in modern Japan. Operating from the periphery of formal political power for the most part, the Japanese Left has had an impact that extends far beyond their limited success at the ballot box. This book focuses attention on the influence exerted by the Left on the political landscape of Japan in the modern era, and assesses the reasons for its successes and failures in terms of its impact on enduring dimensions of Japanese political thought, activism and policy. This is the first book of its kind to engage in the deeper issues of pacifist idealism, the dynamics of opposition politics in Japan, and distinguishing features of Japanese Leftist policy such as opposition to liberalisation of agricultural trade and positive relations with North Korea. With essays from an international team of contributors, this text will provide a fresh and much-needed interpretation of the modern sweep of Japanese politics.

Leftist thought and activism stands as a defining force in the articulation of political culture and policy in modern Japan. Operating from the periphery of formal political power for the most part, the Japanese Left has had an impact that extends far beyond their limited success at the ballot box. This book focuses attention on the influence exerted by the Left on the political landscape of Japan in the modern era, and assesses the reasons for its successes and failures in terms of its impact on enduring dimensions of Japanese political thought, activism and policy.
Studies of the Japanese Left have hitherto focused on the formal political entities of the Japan Socialist Party and the Japan Communist Party, on crisis points or on single-issue factors such as Article 9 of the 1947 Constitution or the Gulf War in 1991. With essays from an international team of contributors looking at the deeper issues such as pacifist idealism, the dynamics of opposition politics in Japan, and distinguishing features of Japanese Leftist policy such as opposition to liberalization of agricultural trade and positive relations with North Korea, The Left in Japanese Politics will provide a much-needed fresh interpretation of the modern sweep of Japanese politics.

It is often assumed that the Japanese passively accepted the Western notion of democracy imposed during the post-war occupation. Rikki Kersten argues that in fact democracy was the subject of debate in Japan. War and occupation prompted a critical re-evaluation of Japanese political identity; it also catalyzed an appraisal of the workings of democracy. This work explores the debate through the writings of a man in the thick of this intellectual ferment: Maruyama Masao. Maruyama, credited with the establishment of the discipline of political science in Japan, defined democracy through the notion of personal autonomy - maintaining the distinction between the public and private realms - and social autonomy - allowing public engagement with the political sphere. The tensions between personal and social autonomy formed the kernel of post-War Japanese political culture. Following the Security Treaty crisis of 1960, and disappointed with the failure of autonomy to emerge as a significant force in Japanese political life, Maruyama retired from the democracy debate.