ABSTRACT
Japan’s economic expansion and industrialization process was accompanied by great social changes. This chapter looks at certain indicators for some of these changes. In a quarter of a century, then, Japanese society had changed considerably in many respects. However, perhaps the most important feature of modern Japanese society has been the growth in the number of people who claim to feel that they belong to the middle class. The growth of middle-class consciousness could be seen as the result of the reduction in the inequality of income distribution, and a higher general standard of living. The chapter believes that the growth of middle-class consciousness in Japan can help a great deal to explain consumption and saving habits. With economic growth and industrialization, Japan has succeeded in creating an affluent society with a high degree of equality. A major one is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain a middle-class standard of living.
