Much has been written about the Japanese, and yet Westerners continue to express amazement and exasperation when they see what the Japanese do. To many, the behavior of the Japanese simply "makes no sense." This book describes and explains the seemingly contradictory aspects of Japanese behavior.
By ecamining the beliefs and values generally shared by the Japanese, the author shows how the Japanese place great importance on social interactions and relationships, and less emphasis on individuality. This cultural theme is used throughout the book as a key to understanding the way the Japanese interact with others, their child-rearing practices, how they see themselves as individuals, and selected features of deviant behavior, pathology, and theraphy.