Giants of Japan
The Lives of Japan's Greatest Men and Women
“A successful effort to personalize history, to offer a look at the passions and motivations of those who influenced this powerful nation.”
-- The Washington Post
“A useful aid to business people, journalists and students, as well as a pleasure for the general reader.”
-- Walter Mondale, former Vice President of the United States
and Ambassador to Japan
​
"Enjoyable, informative, well-researched and well-written."
--Arthur Golden, author of Memoirs of a Geisha
Giants of Japan brings to life fifteen centuries of Japanese history through lively biographical sketches of the great men and women who have shaped this fascinating and complex country. Covering industry, the arts, religion, and politics, the book includes business titans such as Morita Akio, founder of Sony, and Toyoda Eiji, the man behind Toyota's incredible success; creative giants such as writer Mishima Yukio and film director Kurosawa Akira; and historical icons such as Shotoku, the prince who helped bring Buddhism to Japan, and Izumo no Okuni, the actress and dancer who created kabuki theater.
The economies and futures of the West and Japan are now more interdependent than ever, yet Japan remains very much a mystery to many Westerners. The more than forty profiles in this entertaining and enlightening book are essential knowledge about a nation that is a key player on the world stage.