Koichi Hasegawa, Constructing Civil Society in Japan: Voices of Environmental Movements (Paperback)

Based on four epoch-making case studies, this book offers an overview of contemporary Japan's changing attitudes and policies regarding environmental issues. Beginning in the 1970s, the author traces the way the rapid growth of environmental politics and actions contributed to the development of a vibrant civil society. It is argued that recent environmental movements in Japan have created a new, more active public sphere, one that provides a guideline for a sustainable society. This book represents an important contribution to the growing field of environmental sociology.