Background:
While retaining its time-honored culture, Japan rapidly absorbed
Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become an
economic power and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor
retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests
in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business
executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the
1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth.