This book, like all OGG volumes, is based on the proven three-part structure - presentation, fundamental issues and research trends, sources, and literature. In the presentation section, Gerhard Krebs addresses the late Shogunate period with the forced opening of the country, the modernization of the Meiji era, Japan's rise to a great power, and the transition to democracy after the lost Second World War. Breaks and turning points play a significant role, but equally important in the history of modern Japan is the continuity from one era to the previous one. The research section focuses on the interaction between politics and historical perspective or historiography. A long-awaited, well-founded compendium for historians and Japanologists, for students, lecturers, and all those interested in Japan.