Inside Japan’s Power Houses: The Culture, Mystique and Future of Japan’s Greatest Corporations by Kevin Rafferty soon to be presented for sale on the top-quality BookLovers of Bath web site!
Published: London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1995, Hardback in dust wrapper.
Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Tables;
From the cover: Exactly 50 years ago the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki left Japan defeated and in ashes. Today it has risen miraculously to be one of the worlds two economic megapowcrs and is demanding a role as a political great power. The story of Japans phoenix-like rise has often been told, but the economic culture of the countrys mega-businesses is still a mystery, and so are the powerful ties between businessmen, bureaucrats and politicians, the unholy trinity of Japan Inc.
Kevin Rafferty, who has spent 25 years living and working in Asia, has been granted privileged access to the powerhouses of Japans economic miracle and has talked freely to the key figures, including grand opera singer Yoh Kurosawa of the Industrial Bank of Japan, Hampstead-born and Harvard-educated Minoru Makihara of Mitsubishi Corporation, shogi master Fumio Sato of Toshiba and the Toyoda car-making brothers, Shoichiro and Tatsuro, perhaps the most powerful men in Japanese industry. In a country where open and vigorous argument is often avoided, these men talk frankly about their achievements and the problems ahead.
But the author has gone beyond the powerful companies, like Matsushita, Nippon Steel, Toshiba, Toyota and the aerospace and banking giants. He examines the much-vaunted education system to assess the future challenge. He has also talked to the almighty mandarins of the finance ministry and the all too frequently corrupt politicians. The result is a cool appraisal of how different Japan really is, of the price paid for economic maturity and a strong yen, the need for political reform and most vital for the rest of the world whether Japan can become a normal nation sitting at the top political table.
Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper. Dust wrapper very slightly rubbed at the edges with a nick to the top corner of the lower panel.
Blue boards with Silver titling to the Spine. [XVIII] 353 pages. Index. 9½” x 6¼”.
Of course, if you don’t like this one, may I tempt you with something from hither or maybe further, hand picked, books in my Business catalogue?
BookLovers of Bath 