Japanese Economic Development: Theory and Practice

This fully revised and updated third edition of Japanese Economic Development looks at Japan's economic history from the nineteenth century through to World War II, recasting analysis of Japan’s economic past in the light fresh theoretical perspectives in the study of economic history and development.

Francks draws out the historical roots of the institutions and practices on which Japan's post-war economic miracle was based and provides a comparative framework within which the Japanese case can be understood and related to development in the rest of the world.

New features for this edition include:

• textboxes summarising key concepts
• expanded coverage of the early-modern economy, the ‘traditional sector’, and the international context of Japanese growth
• an increased number of case studies
• fully up-dated references, glossary and bibliography.

Taking a thematic approach, this textbook demonstrates how studying the first example of Asian industrialisation can provide the basis for an alternative, non-western narrative of development. As it such is an important resource for undergraduate and postgraduate courses on the Japanese economy, as well as comparative economic development and economic history more generally.

Penelope Francks is Honorary Fellow in Japanese Studies at the University of Leeds, where she taught for many years, eventually becoming Reader in Japanese Studies. Her research and publications have all been in the field of Japanese economic history, in particular rural economic development and, more recently, consumption history.