Abstract

Japan was once the world’s second-largest economy, but it has since fallen to fourth place, overtaken by China and Germany. The country is facing serious challenges, including a declining birth rate, an aging population, and a persistent gender gap. Japan is now struggling to find a breakthrough that could put the country on a new path forward.
The author argues that the key to revitalizing Japan lies in liberalism. The book examines the role that liberalism has played in Japanese politics since the end of World War II and explores its potential to shape Japan’s future.

Author’s Information

Hiroshi Hoshi was born in Fukushima Prefecture in 1955. He graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1979 and joined the Asahi Shimbun, where he covered the political department, the Prime Minister's Office, the Liberal Democratic Party, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1985. After serving as a Washington correspondent and special editorial writer, he left the company in 2016. He moved to TBS Television, where he works as a caster and commentator. From 2004 to 2006, he was a specially appointed professor at the University of Tokyo Graduate School.