University of British Columbia Press
Japan's Motorcycle Wars: An Industry History
Key Metrics
- Jeffrey W Alexander
- University of British Columbia Press
- Hardcover
- 9780774814539
- -
- -
- Transportation > Automotive - General
- English
Secure TransactionBook Description
For decades the crown jewels of Japan's postwar manufacturing industry, motorcycles remain one of Japan's top exports. Japan's Motorcycle Wars assesses the historical development and societal impact of the motorcycle industry, from the influence of motor sports on vehicle sales in the early 1900s to the postwar developments that led to the massive wave of motorization sweeping the Asia-Pacific region today.
Jeffrey Alexander brings a wealth of information to light, providing English translations of transcripts, industry publications, and company histories that have until now been available only in Japanese. By exploring the industry as a whole, he reveals that Japan's motorcycle industry was characterized not by communitarian success but by misplaced loyalties, technical disasters, and brutal competition.
Author Bio
Jeffrey W Alexander is a Japan specialist and historian who received his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. His books and articles explore the adoption, manufacture, and sale of Western consumer products in Japan, including motor vehicles, alcohol, and stimulant drugs.
He has lived and worked throughout Japan off and on since 1995, including in Osaka, Kyoto, Okazaki, and Tokyo. In the mid 1990s, he worked as a bartender in a live jazz club in Toyonaka City, where the owner was generous and the cocktails were made the old fashioned way.
Source: Jeffreywalexander.com
Videos
Community reviews
Write a ReviewNo Community reviews