Modern Japan

Japan's transformation from a devastated, occupied nation in 1945 to the world's second-largest economy by the 1960s remains one of history's most remarkable recoveries. Under American occupation (1945–1952), Japan adopted a democratic constitution, renounced war, and rebuilt its shattered infrastructure. What followed was an 'economic miracle' driven by export-oriented manufacturing, government-industry cooperation, and a disciplined, educated workforce.

By the 1980s, Japanese companies dominated global industries from automobiles to electronics, and Tokyo's real estate was worth more than all of America's combined. The asset bubble's collapse in 1991 inaugurated the 'Lost Decade' — eventually stretching to three decades of stagnation that challenged Japan's economic model. An aging, declining population has added demographic pressure to economic challenges.

Despite economic headwinds, Japan remains the world's third-largest economy and a major cultural force. Japanese anime, manga, cuisine, and technology have achieved global reach. The country's peaceful, democratic postwar trajectory — from militaristic empire to pacifist democracy — represents one of the most successful political transformations of the modern era. Japan's experience offers lessons about the possibilities and limits of economic development, the consequences of demographic decline, and the potential for national reinvention.