Japan is of particular interest because history of its corporate governance is not widely known and because it has developed a unique corporate governance model. This book aims to diagnose and trace the causes and symptoms of this uniqueness, emphasizing that it is a lasting legacy of previous eras. It examines key political, social, cultural, and economic events in Japan from its dawn till the 17th century in a comprehensive way and in the cause-and-effect aspect, combining the history, economic history, and the history of corporate governance.