Japan's territory consists of four large islands, Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, along with more than 3,900 smaller islands, surrounded by ocean on every side. Resources are scarce, the land is barren, and the islands are often struck by volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis, making survival exceedingly difficult. Yet Japan has a developed economy and a far-reaching civilization, and is one of the world's great powers. The reasons behind this are worth understanding. For nearly a century, China has repeatedly suffered at Japan's hands, and even today, Japanese right-wingers spend their days clamoring to violate our territorial sovereignty. As the saying goes, “Do not harbor the intention of harming others, but never let down your guard against them.” An old maxim also teaches, “Know yourself and your enemy, and you will win every battle.” If we are to protect ourselves and grow stronger, we must understand Japan in detail.
Written in the style of a historical romance and told through the lives of historical figures, this book spans from the legend of Amaterasu to Japan's economic boom in the twentieth century. Figures such as Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Yoshida Shoin, and Ito Hirobumi spring to life on the page, recreating the founding of Japan and the Taika Reform...
