When Professor Morishima''s book Why has Japan ''Succeeded''? (1982) was published, Japan was still a country of ''capitalism from above''. For the past ten years the country''s economy has faltered and declined. It is turning towards ''capitalism from below'' despite Japan''s weak democracy. This directional change is investigated through a variety of standpoints, using an in-depth knowledge of the Japanese ethos, national history, educational background, as well as the sociology of the Japanese economy and business world. The author offers a long-term forecast for the future of Japan.

When Professor Morishima''s book Why has Japan ''Succeeded''? (1982) was published, Japan was still a country of ''capitalism from above''. For the past ten years the country''s economy has faltered and declined. It is turning towards ''capitalism from below'' despite Japan''s weak democracy. This directional change is investigated through a variety of standpoints, using an in-depth knowledge of the Japanese ethos, national history, educational background, as well as the sociology of the Japanese economy and business world. The author offers a long-term forecast for the future of Japan.