State Competence and Economic Growth in Japan

Within economics, few issues are more central than the role of the state in the economy; within Japanese studies, few are more central than the role the Japanese government has played in post-war economic growth. With exquisite attention to theory and meticulous attention to detail, this book focuses on both these topics with startling results.Yoshiro Miwaasks whether a state can correct market failures and in particular critically analyzes the performance of the Japanese economy as a result of state intervention within it. In order to examine the capacity of the state to promote growth, Miwa examines the Japanese machine tool industry, the government's role in promoting this sector and government efforts to achieve growth in small and medium sized enterprises in Japan. Despite the huge interest worldwide in Japan's economic history and industrial performance, there is no other book that has approached this important topic in such a comprehensive and incisive manner.