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History

A History of Japan

by Justin Hebert

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Latest episodes

  • The Vietnam Wars (Vietnam, 1945-1976)

    July 20, 2026 · 49 min

    After Japan's surrender in August of 1945, the Empire of Vietnam witnessed a revolution and its winners crafted a declaration of independence. However, forming a new nation-state during the Cold War would prove to be a long, bloody…

  • A Peninsula Divided (Korea, 1945-1975)

    July 13, 2026 · 50 min

    The Korean Peninsula was divided after the second world war as the Soviet Union occupied the north and the US occupying the south. Though this division was initially meant to be temporary, the subsequent Korean War and its aftermath…

  • The Great Leap (China, 1953-1976)

    July 6, 2026 · 27 min

    As the People's Republic of China sought to establish itself as a modern nation state, its government chose to imitate the Soviet Union's path to modernization as they collectivized agriculture, labor, and industry with unfortunately…

  • The People’s Republic (China, 1945-1953)

    June 29, 2026 · 27 min

    After the Japanese Imperial Army evacuated China, any hopes of peaceful reunification were dashed as the Nationalists and Communists continued fighting the Chinese Civil War, the result of which would see the birth of the People's Republic…

  • The New Wave (Social Matters, 1955-1972)

    June 22, 2026 · 34 min

    As incomes soared and standards of living likewise rising, the demand for entertainment in Japan also rose and the industries of film, television, and animation would produce some of the most innovative and influential works ever…

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  • Making a Miracle (Economics 1955-1972)

    June 15, 2026 · 37 min

    The Economic Miracle period witnessed, as its name suggests, tremendous economic growth throughout Japan. However, that growth came at a cost to Japan's organized working class as well as white collar workers whose pursuit of productivity…

  • Tolerance and Patience (Politics 1954-1972, Part 2)

    June 8, 2026 · 28 min

    Ikeda Hayato managed to garner the necessary support to become the President of the LDP and the Prime Minister of Japan after Kishi Nobusuke's resignation in 1960. He would prove to be almost the polar opposite of his arch-conservative…

  • The Big Tent (Politics 1955-1972, Part 1)

    June 1, 2026 · 40 min

    Conservatives and Leftists both experienced party mergers after the 1955 general election. However, it was the Liberal Democratic Party who would emerge as the big winner for the foreseeable future. Support the show  My latest novel…

  • Monsters Real and Imagined (Social Matters, 1945-1954)

    May 18, 2026 · 36 min

    The Allied occupation changed Japan's social norms in a variety of ways. When the occupation ended, some of those changes would remain while others would fall by the wayside. In the midst of rebuilding, economic chaos, and privation, the…

  • A New Deal for Japan (Economics 1945-1954)

    May 11, 2026 · 37 min

    Japan's economy expanded rapidly during the postwar rebuild - too rapidly. Hyperinflation created unrest and frustration which the labor movement hoped to harness. Meanwhile, the diet passed a sweeping land reform which radically…

  • The Reverse Course (Politics, 1945-1954, Part 2)

    May 4, 2026 · 32 min

    While the Allied occupation forces had initially supported the restoration of far-left parties to Japan's political arena, the advent of the Cold War led to a reversal of sorts which included de-purging those who had supported imperial-era…

  • The Reckoning (Politics, 1945-1954, Part 1)

    April 27, 2026 · 42 min

    The aftermath of the Pacific War led to an Allied occupation of Japan, during which time Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP) Douglas MacArthur and his subordinates attempted to reorganize the Japanese state away from militaristic…

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About the show

A history of the people of Japan, from the prehistoric Jomon period to the modern era. WARNING: This podcast occasionally touches on subjects of human sexuality, suicide, violence, and torture.