The Woodrow Wilson Center's Asia Program has recently published a Special Report entitled "Durable Democracy: Building the Japanese State" with contributions by John Dower, Donald Robinson and Franziska Seraphim.

The essays look at Japanese democracy from historical roots to the present day. John Dower of MIT examines pros and cons of the Japanese system and challenges the oft-made claim that Japanese democracy is inherently "dysfunctional." Donald Robinson of Smith College explores why democratic state building was so successful in Japan, and what lessons can be applied to similar endeavors elsewhere in the world. Franziska Seraphim of Boston College explains how constitutional democracy became the framework within which different war memories competed.

The PDF file can be found on the Wilson Center website (Asia program/publications/special reports) or directly at http://wwics.si.edu/topics/pubs/asiarpt_109.pdf Hard copies can be obtained by writing to asia@wwic.si.edu.