New in paperback. Hardcover was published in 2007. With expert contributions from both the US and Japan, this book examines the legacies of the US Occupation on Japanese politics and society, and discusses the long-term impact of the Occupation on contemporary Japan. Focusing on two central themes: democracy and the interplay of US-initiated reforms and Japan's endogenous drive for democratization and social justice. The contributors address key questions: How did the US authorities and the Japanese people define democracy?; To what extent did America impose their notions of democracy on Japan?; How far did the Japanese pursue impulses toward reform, rooted in their own history and values?; Which reforms were readily accepted and internalized, and which were ultimately subverted by the Japanese as impositions from outside?