The Japanese Islands Author:Jacques Pezeu-Massabuauj In the decades since WWII Japan has transformed itself from a war-ravaged survivor into one of the world's great powers, an evolution accomplished on a small group of islands barely the size of the state of California. This book is the story of how the people of these small and ill-favored islands turned them into the wealthiest nation of Asia.... more » The author, who holds a doctorate from the Sorbonne, looks at both the land - its terrain, soils, climate and uses - and at the people who live and work on it - their numbers, their movements from place to place, and their livelihoods. Japan's spectacular growth has brought problems along with wealth and "The Japanese Islands" describes efforts to solve them.« less