Cultural Advantage and Japan's Postwar Economic Miracle. This paper argues that some elements of pre-World War II Japanese culture proved to be advantages to the processes of economic reconstruction as they took hold in the first decades after 1945. If the Japanese recovery is looked at in terms of class and economy only, the Japanese defeat in World War II signaled a complete break from the imperial ethos, which had dominated national culture and contributed to practically every aspect of Japanese cultural and economic life. When Japanese post-war economic development is explored in ways which include cultural advantages, however, the so-called "miracle" of reconstruction begins to seem somewhat more predictable. 15 pgs. 38 f/c. 16b. Pages: 15 Bibliography: 16 source(s) listed Filename: 2804 Japanese Culture Reconstruction.doc Price: 134.25