Mary Haddad seeks to refute those non-Japanese scholars who are dismissive of Japanese democracy because it doesn't measure up to western standards. She argues that they overlook and marginalize the consequences of everyday actions and grassroots dynamism and fail to appreciate the distinctive ways in which democracy has flowered in Japan.
Perhaps, but this hardly seems the most propitious time to publish a book on the vibrancy of Japanese democracy and how local developments are sparking massive changes in national politics.
"While Building Democracy" makes a convincing case about scholarly bias, its not only outsiders who are disappointed in Japanese democracy. Public opinion polls show that the Japanese public is also dismissive of their politicians and consider Japanese democracy dysfunctional according to local standards. Post-3/11 discourse in Japan reveals considerable contempt for politicians and their prioritizing party interests over promoting recovery in Tohoku. The national government has also appeared deaf in listening to local voices about recovery efforts and nuclear energy.