Introduction

Summary

Japan is a country that has given the world much to admire. In a few decades, Japan rebounded from wartime devastation to the world's second-largest economy, now valued at almost 4 trillion dollars. It did so without much in the way of natural resources or land, with neither the oil of Saudi Arabia nor the vast natural resources of the United States. This achievement is without parallel and stands as an inspiration to developing and developed countries alike. Japan has the longest life expectancy in the world, universal access to healthcare, very high levels of literacy and basic education, and an impressively equitable wealth and income distribution (though there has been a deterioration and growing inequality in Japan recently). Japanese social life functions smoothly, with great masses of people in the most densely populated large nation on earth showing patience and mutual regard, even when in near-asphyxiating proximity to one another. One can walk freely almost anywhere without fear of being mugged, and a lost wallet is very likely to find its way back to its owner. The streets are clean, the city air quality is good and the transportation system is a model of precision and efficiency. Visitors to Japan can be shown extraordinary kindness.

Japan also boasts many world-leading industries; parts of its manufacturing sector are hugely successful, specifically those in the export sector exposed to international competition.