This book highlights the importance of individuals in the shaping of postwar Japan by providing an historical account of how physicists constituted an influential elite. A history of science perspective provides insight into their role, helping us to understand the hybrid identity of Japanese scientists, and how they reinvented not only themselves, but also Japan in the decades after its defeat. Low explores the lives and work of seven physicists, two of whom were Nobel prize winners, and makes use of little-known Occupation period documents, personal papers of physicists, and Japanese language source material.
Author(s): Morris Low
Edition: First Edition
Year: 2005
Language: English
Pages: 276
Cover......Page 1
Contents......Page 6
Preface......Page 8
List of Abbreviations and Other Major Institutions......Page 10
List of Illustrations......Page 14
1 The Making of the Japanese Physicist......Page 16
2 Mobilizing Science in World War II: Yoshio Nishina......Page 32
3 The Impact of the Allied Occupation: Nishina and Nakasone......Page 60
4 Physicists on the Left: Sakata and Taketani......Page 88
5 The Politics of Pure Science: Yukawa and Tomonaga......Page 120
6 Corporate Science: Sagane......Page 158
7 Science on the International Stage: Hayakawa......Page 184
Conclusion......Page 212
Notes......Page 216
Glossary......Page 268
F......Page 270
L......Page 271
S......Page 272
U......Page 273
Y......Page 274
