There has been renewed interest in the concept of friendship in contemporary philosophy. Many of the existing treatments of the topic have been limited to Western notions of friendship, yet there is a far wider perspective available to us through an examination of a more extended cultural examination of the topic. Cultures other than those in Christian Europe have had important and interesting observations to make on the nature of friendship, and in this collection there is treatment not only of Greek and Christian ideas of friendship, but also of Islamic, Jewish, Chinese, Japanese and Indian perspectives. A rich and extended view of the concept of friendship results from these various examinations.

Argues that gay marriage is beneficial to the health of marriage as an institution and describes the reasons why marriage is vital to society, how gay marriage would work in the real world, and why the states should decide the issue of gay marriage.

Explores how Japanese women living in the United States see themselves and how they see American women.

An earlier edition of this extraordinarily prescient, elegantly written book created a sensation among Washington and media insiders when it was published more than five years ago under the title `Demosclerosis. In it, Jonathan Rauch, a former correspondent for The Economist and a columnist for National Journal, showed with startling clarity the reasons why America's political system (and, in fact, other political systems as well) was becoming increasingly ineffective. Today, as Rauch's predictions continue to manifest themselves in a national politics of ''sound and fury'' and little effective legislation, and in increasing voter cynicism, this book has achieved renown as the classic and essential work on why politics and government don't work.

When the Tokyo stock market collapsed, it became clear that the Japanese bubble had burst and the balance of world economic power had shifted. Now global business expert Burstein--bestselling author of Yen! and Euroquake--explains how America can use Japan's current economic crisis to forge a ne w and profitable economic alliance.

In Ero-Samurai, noted Kyoto raconteur and expatriate David Duff relates his personal experiences with that most exotic and mysterious of creatures, the Japanese woman.

Widely recognized both in America and Japan for his insider knowledge and penetrating analyses of Japanese politics, Gerald Curtis is the political analyst best positioned to explore the complexities of the Japanese political scene today. Curtis has personally known most of the key players in Japanese politics for more than thirty years, and he draws on their candid comments to provide invaluable and graphic insights into the world of Japanese politics. By relating the behavior of Japanese political leaders to the institutions within which they must operate, Curtis makes sense out of what others have regarded as enigmatic or illogical. He utilizes his skills as a scholar and his knowledge of the inner workings of the Japanese political system to highlight the commonalities of Japanese and Western political practices while at the same time explaining what sets Japan apart. Curtis rejects the notion that cultural distinctiveness and consensus are the defining elements of Japan's political decision making, emphasizing instead the competition among and the profound influence of individuals operating within particular institutional contexts on the development of Japan's politics. The discussions featured here -- as they survey both the detailed events and the broad structures shaping the mercurial Japanese political scene of the 1990s -- draw on extensive conversations with virtually all of the decade's political leaders and focus on the interactions among specific politicians as they struggle for political power. The Logic of Japanese Politics covers such important political developments as • the Liberal Democratic Party's egress from power in 1993, after reigning for nearly four decades, and their crushing defeat in the "voters' revolt" of the 1998 upper-house election; • the formation of the 1993 seven party coalition government led by prime minister Morihiro Hosokawa and its collapse eight months later; • the historic electoral reform of 1994 which replaced the electoral system operative since the adoption of universal manhood suffrage in 1925; and • the decline of machine politics and the rise of the mutohaso -- the floating, nonparty voter. Scrutinizing and interpreting a complex and changing political system, this multi-layered chronicle reveals the dynamics of democracy at work -- Japanese-style. In the process, The Logic of Japanese Politics not only offers a fascinating picture of Japanese politics and politicians but also provides a framework for understanding Japan's attempts to surmount its present problems, and helps readers gain insight into Japan's future.

Japan is a mix of the old and the new, traditional and modern, and old fashion and innovative. It has traveled the road to a modern destination without totally losing sight of its traditions and values. Although some in Japan lament the passing of old ways, Japan has held on to a reasonable amount of its traditions and values. This is easier to find in its arts and crafts and its literature and films as well as in its social habits. This book will introduce the broad sweep of people, events, and trends, including the successes and failures, of postwar Japan. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Postwar Japan contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 500 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Japan.

Looking Beyond the Mask focuses on the personal stories of the growing number of American women who—despite vast cultural differences, and sometimes because of them—are married to Japanese men. Although the problems encountered in such marriages are similar to those found in any union, there are cultural implications that can exacerbate almost any of them. Potential areas of conflict are examined, such as in-laws, customs and manners, values, living conditions, religion, communication, sex and gender, and raising children. The book deals with meeting such challenges and attempting to look beyond the cultural masks to see the real people behind them. The women in question stress the importance of commitment, a flexible attitude, a strong sense of identity, a support network, a sense of perspective, and a sense of humor. They also reveal the benefits of these marriages, including a greater appreciation for Japanese ways and the opportunity to continually grow and learn. Based on extensive research, the book provides a new look at Japan from the unique perspective of those American women most intimately involved with its culture.

For more than three decades, the multifaceted alliance between the United States and Japan has contributed significantly to the security of Japan and the maintenance of peace and security in the Far East. With the end of the Cold War, new sources of potential threats have arisen at a time when Japan's national self-confidence has been shaken by nearly a decade of economic stagnation, a highly fluid political situation, and an inadequate institutional structure for crisis management and strategy formulation. Osius examines how Japan is trying to redefine its identity from a nation whose constitution renounces war as a sovereign right to a normal country involved in United Nations peacekeeping operations and regional military relationships. In his initial chapters, Osius focuses on the purpose of the security alliance and argues that U.S.-Japanese interests coincide enough not only to sustain the alliance, but also to warrant strengthening and promoting it. He then examines the challenges and opportunities for an enhanced alliance over the next decade. Together, he maintains, the United States and Japan can address broadly defined security concerns, such as energy supply, weapons of mass destruction proliferation, transborder crime, piracy, and illegal narcotics, as well as environmental issues, infectious disease, economic development, and humanitarian and disaster relief. However, if it is to thrive, the U.S.-Japan alliance must remain dynamic rather than static and must be nurtured, sustained, and enhanced by both parties. An important analysis for policy makers, scholars, and students of U.S.-Japanese political and military relations and Asian Studies in general.