In America, inner-city violence -- often attributed in part to overcrowding -- is frequently emphasized as one of the great social problems of the day. What might we learn from Japan's situation that could be applied to our own as we approach the twenty-first century?

In this collection an international gathering of urbanists considers such matters as the historical development of the Japanese city, the landmarks of Tokyo, urban planning and regulation, environmental problems, the image of the city in Japanese novels, and the coordination of local and central government efforts to deal with economic shifts affecting individual communities. The only book on the topic available in English, The Japanese City details one country's philosophy of urban space.