Japanese Politics and Society
MIT OpenCourseWare offers this introduction to contemporary Japan, nicknamed 'Raw Fish 101' by students. The course combines lectures, seminar discussion, small-team case studies, and web page construction exercises to cover Japanese history, politics, culture, and economy. Topics span the postwar political system, economic development, social structures, and cultural institutions that shape how Japan is governed and how its society functions today. Materials include the syllabus, lecture topics, and assignment descriptions as posted by MIT. The course is aimed at students without prior background in Japanese studies who want a broad, structured grounding in the country's political and social systems. As with other MIT OpenCourseWare offerings, all materials are free to access; no certificate is offered.