ABSTRACT
It was argued in Chapter 1 that the prevailing interpretations of Japanese capitalism by Western commentators have largely ignored the roles played by class power, manipulation and mystification. As a corrective to these blind spots, the hypothesis was advanced that the employers’ federation Nikkeiren could best exemplify the organized power of capital and its techniques of coercion, manipulation and mystification. In the chapters that followed, an account was given of Nikkeiren’s organization and activity, from its formation in 1948 until its merging with Keidanren in 2002 to become Nippon Keidanren. This history of Nikkeiren was set within the context of the different periods through which Japanese capitalism has passed since 1945. To what extent has this account of Nikkeiren’s history provided evidence to support the contention that class power, manipulation and mystification fulfil vital roles in the operation of capitalism in Japan?
