A Tumultuous Century

Written in a concise yet forceful style, this book offers a sweeping historical account of the tumultuous century Japan experienced from the Meiji Restoration in the 1860s through the 1960s. From the perspective of political leader Shigeru Yoshida, the author recounts a hundred years of Japanese history: the rise that began with the Meiji Restoration, the nadir following defeat in war, and the country's subsequent recovery by seizing the opportunities for growth after the war. The book also includes accounts of Japan as seen by foreigners during that century, as well as essays on economics and current affairs that the author published in Japanese newspapers and magazines after the war. Overall, what emerges between the lines is less literary charm than the qualities distinctive to a statesman: reason, perseverance, pragmatism, and courage.