2017 Reports

Review of Yoshio Suzuki’s “Difficulties and Challenges, Japan’s Post-War History of Monetary Policy and Economic Trends”

Patrick, Hugh T.

This is a book review edited by Hugh Patrick of a significant book in Japanese on postwar monetary policy by Dr. Yoshio Suzuki, who for many years played a leading intellectual role at the Bank of Japan. The review is based on a substantive summary provided by Dr. Suzuki. The book discusses the post‐war economic performance of Japan in the context of monetary policy and its implementation. For the Bank of Japan, these 70 years are indeed a repetitive succession of difficulties and challenges, and of resulting successes and failures. The book has three sections: ”Japanese Economy and Monetary Policy in the Developing Period”; “Setbacks of the Japanese Economy”; and “New Challenges of Monetary Policy.”