In case you have students who need an introductory text, and you are not too bored with it, I thought you might like to know that my book Understanding Japanese Society comes out today in its 4th edtion. I was in Japan updating it during the disaster period so that gets some coverage, including a revitalised interest in politics, and this time I asked 6 of my students and ex-students living in Japan to make suggestions and help so we could cover a range of age groups and not just me and my cronies as we move towards the senior end of the life cycle! Recession, unemployment and the shortage of kiddies gets some coverage again, as they did in the 3rd. edition, but newer issues include the enthusiasm of ikumen caring for their babes, a few interesting new approaches to spiritual sources of support, a kind of reversal in family make-up between town and country, and an assessment of the apparent turn away from the international. I hope it still makes a good general introduction to Japanese Society, so do take a look — I expect Routledge will be giving out free copies to teachers and reviewers. Thanks!
Joy Hendry