Japan: A Documentary History

An updated and expanded edition of David Lu's acclaimed Sources of Japanese History, this compilation of primary documents presents in a clear and accessible format, with full annotation and incisive commentary by Dr. Lu, readings translated from the original Japanese that cover the full spectrum of political, economic, and diplomatic as well as cultural and intellectual history in a time span that ranges from Japan's mythological beginnings to the present. The past indeed is prologue: these documents - written by Japanese contemporaneous with the events described - provide insight not only into the past but also into Japan's contemporary civilization.