It's funny: 15 years ago, we were all worried about Japan. After the bust in the Japanese economy, we're all worried about China now. Lewis's book is thus an odd historical document, which also illuminates in part how we might view China. He focusses on the structural impediments that kept the Japanese economy closed to Americans, and also caused Japanese companies to misunderstand American real estate. He argues more from anecdote than from any sweeping study, but he writes very entertainingly and observes keenly.