Introduction

Abstract

When, after closing her shores to the world for more than two hundred years (1641–1854), Japan recommenced intercourse with other countries the majority of the world’s people did not even know of her existence. Economically Japan was a long way behind the advanced nations of the west. According to one estimate, in 1870 Japan’s gnp per capita was only a quarter of that of the UK (Table 2.6). After several wars and phenomenal economic growth, particularly after the Second World War, Japan has gradually made itself known to the peoples of the world. Her gnp per capita is now on a par with the advanced industrial nations of the west, and today a description of the state of the world’s economy without reference to Japan would be impossible.