Summary
Formerly a feudal society with strict social codes, the island nation of Japan went through a long period of isolation until a fleet from the United States pressured them to open trade in 1853. Today, Japan has one of the world's largest economies. This eBook provides a one-stop resource for information about Japan, with comprehensive A-to-Z entries covering everything from land and resources, population, culture, and lifestyle to current events, history, government, economy, and society. Readers will also find regional locator, political, and elevation maps, plus a list of further readings.
About the Author(s)
The late George Thomas Kurian was an editor of reference books who published works with Facts On File, Congressional Quarterly, Henry Holt, Macmillan, Oxford, M.E. Sharpe, and many other publishers. He was president of the International Encyclopedia Society.
Prof. Dr. Gerhard Robbers is professor emeritus of law at the Institute for European Constitutional Law at the University of Trier, Germany, specializing in constitutional law, law of religion, and international public law. He is a founding editor-in-chief of the Oxford Journal of Law and Religion and a member of the Advisory Council for Freedom of Religion at ODIHR/OSCE.