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Social Science Japan Journal(SSJJ) publishes high-quality, refereed scholarly articles on modern Japan. All social science disciplines (anthropology, economics, history, law, political science, and sociology) are represented, including studies of Japan’s international relations and comparisons with other countries. SSJJ’s substantial book review section contains reviews of English and Japanese language monographs on Japanese society. SSJJ occasionally publishes surveys of research materials and scholarly debates in Japan, as well as reviews of the current state of research on Japanese society in various countries.


ISS/OUP Prize: SSJJ Annual Best Paper Prize

This prize of 50,000 yen, plus a free year's subscription to SSJJ and £50 worth of OUP books, is awarded to the author of best paper published in SSJJ each year. This year’s winner is:
Technology Transfer and the Gendering of Communications Work: Meiji Japan in comparative Historical Perspective
Hunter, Janet
Social Science Japan Journal (Winter 2011) 14 (1): 1-20.
For more information, including free access to the winning articles from previous years, please visit the website.

Leading scholars recommend SSJJ

"For some time now, Social Science Japan Journal has been the most important source of social science and cross-disciplinary work on Japan, certainly in the English language—and arguably in any language. Its great strength is the ability to present state of the art scholarship from around the world, Japan included, in a single publication."

Andrew Gordon
Professor of History
Harvard University


"Social Science Japan Journal is without a doubt the best source for insightful analysis of contemporary Japan. If you only read one journal on Japan, SSJJ should be at the top of the list."

Tom Ginsburg
Professor of Law
University of Chicago


And more...


Social Science Japan Journal is now covered in Social Science Citation Index!