Since it was first published more than forty years ago,Sources of Japanese Tradition,Volume 2, has been considered the authoritative sourcebook for readersand scholars interested in Japan from the eighteenth century to thepost-World War II period. Now greatly expanded to include the entiretwentieth century, and beginning in 1600,Sources of Japanese Traditionpresents writings from modern Japan's most important philosophers,religious figures, writers, and political leaders. The volume alsooffers extensive introductory essays and commentary to assist inunderstanding the documents' historical setting and significance.Wonderfully varied in its selections, this eagerly anticipated expandededition has revised many of the texts from the original edition andadded a great many not included or translated before. New additionsinclude documents on the postwar era, the importance of education in theprocess of modernization, and women's issues.Beginning withdocuments from the founding of the Tokugawa shogunate, the collection'sessays, manifestos, religious tracts, political documents, and memoirsreflect major Japanese religious, philosophical, social, and politicalmovements. Subjects covered include the spread of neo-Confucian andBuddhist teachings, Japanese poetry and aesthetics, and the MeijiRestoration. Other documents reflect the major political trends andevents of the period: the abolition of feudalism, agrarian reform, theemergence of political parties and liberalism, and the Sino-Japanese andRusso-Japanese wars. The collection also includes Western and Japaneseimpressions of each other via Western religious missions and commercialand cultural exchanges. These selections underscore Japanese and Westernapprehension of and fascination with each other.As Japanentered the twentieth century, new political and socialmovements-Marxism, anarchism, socialism, feminism, andnationalism-entered the national consciousness. Later readings in thecollection look at the buildup to war with the United States, militarydefeat, and American occupation. Documents from the postwar period echoJapan's struggle with its own history and its development as acapitalist democracy.