In this book, a cross-section of Japanese, American, and European journalists and authorities in the business, political, and economic sectors examine the problems caused by overregulation and offer solutions for reshaping the Japanese marketplace. In part one, former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, Vice Minister of Finance Eisuke Sakakibara, and some of America's and Japan's leading experts on the Japanese economy map out the long road to regulatory reform. They analyze the postwar origins of today's bureaucracy, current attitudes toward regulation among politicians and the public, and the changes in both policymaking and mindset that must occur to achieve true reform. Part two focuses on the effects of overregulation, using illuminating case studies involving Japan's financial system, insurance markets, nonprofit industries, and regulatory agencies.