A reviewer in The Economist wrote that Contemporary Japan: History, Politics and Social Change Since the 1980s (Wiley-Blackwell) — a new book by Temple University, Japan Campus, faculty member Jeffery Kingston — "does sterling service stripping away or qualifying many … misconceptions" about the modern image of Japan. "Japan's anemic economy is well understood, but how it has affected Japanese society is not. This is where Mr. Kingston’s contribution shines," wrote the reviewer. "Contemporary Japan teems with dates and data; it is useful for those in search of understanding but is not for the casual reader who wants a good yarn."