Hardcover book originally published in 1999.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 217-228) and index.

Japan and history -- From the Stone Age to statehood: Myths, prehistory, and ancient history (to 710): Making gods of emperors: Ancient history according to Japan's myths -- Earliest inhabitants (to ca 13,000 BC) -- Stone-Age hunters and gatherers: Jomon period (ca 13,000 BC-ca 300 BC) -- New beginnings: Yayoi period (ca 300 BC-ca AD 300) -- Early state emerges :Kofun/Yamato period (ca 300-710) -- Of courtiers and warriors: Early and medieval history (710-1600): Learning from the Chinese- within limits: Nara period (710-794) -- Rise and fall of the court: Heian period (794-1185) -- Warrior state: Kamakura period (1185-1333) -- Nation at war with itself: Muromachi period (1333-1568) -- Reunifying the nation: Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568-1600) -- Closed country: Tokugawa period (1600-1868): Stability equals survival: Establishing the Tokugawa Shogunate -- Samurai and ethics -- Commoners, culture, and the economy -- Return of the foreign devils and the fall of the Shogunate -- Building a modern nation: Meiji period (1868-1912): Consolidating the restoration -- Westernisation of society -- Harnessing the energies of the people -- Moves toward democracy-of sorts -- War and politics -- Guided economic development -- Era comes to an end -- Excesses of ambition: Pacific War and its lead-up: Fragile democracy of Taisho (1912-1926) -- Troubled start to Showa -- Ideologies behind expansionism -- Preparations for war -- Pacific War -- Phoenix from the ashes: Postwar successes and beyond: American dreams for a new Japan -- Cold war realities reshape the dreams -- Becoming number one -- Superpower adrift.