Japan, the blighted blossom

In Japan: The Blighted Blossom, Roy Thomas reveals the reality behind the faade of a stable democracy, a rigorous education system, and an "economic miracle" within which managers and workers coexist in workaholic harmony. Patronage, bribery, and blackmail undermine democracy, and a rigid, authoritarian environment oppresses workers. While debunking many of Japan's official myths, Thomas displays an unmistakeable empathy for the Japanese people and staunch support for their efforts to build a genuine democracy.The first popular book in English to explain why Japan's chance at democracy may be lost.
Roy Thomas, a graduate of Waseda University in Tokyo and author of China: The Awakening Giant, has spent much of his life in Japan.