History of Economic Thought in Japan not only provides an excellent introduction to economic thought in Japan and Japanese economic history more broadly, but also works well in rethinking and reframing issues in economic history and theory for historians who may be uncomfortable (or too comfortable) within the prevalent frames of English-language economic history.

H-Net Reviews

An important recasting of early modern and modern Japanese history from the perspective of economic theory.

CHOICE

Economic thinking in Japan emerged in a historically unique and distinctive way, and A History of Economic Thought in Japan provides the first full account in English. It is written by well known specialists and has sold widely in Japan. The translation is professionally and beautifully done. By describing not only the development of market thinking but also de-marketization and ideas of a stationary society, the authors' analysis will also resonate with current thinking about post-growth economics.

Mark Metzler, Senior Historian of Modern Japan, University of Washington, USA

Kawaguchi and Ishii's survey of Japanese economic thought courageously straddles the early-modern and the modern periods, when the usual approach is to stay on one side or the other and thereby exile early-modern ideas to obscure academic circles or suborn them to “preparation” for the modern transition. The authors identify “core values” on either side of the divide: early-modern concerns with personal and social moral perfection and modern concerns with sacrifice for a competitive pursuit of wealth to bolster the nation. With the balance in coverage, the survey achieves a historicization and relativization of modern values, while also pointing out continuities and similarities of ideas over centuries. We need such surveys so that we can re-assess where we have come from and where we are going.

James B. Lewis, Associate Professor of Korean History, University of Oxford, UK