<span><span>The most complete autobiography of Yoshida Shigeru (1878&ndash;1967) available in English, this expanded translation of his memoirs traces the remarkable life and times of one of Japan&#39;s most powerful figures. A career diplomat who shaped Japan&#39;s China policy and worked with Europe&#39;s most influential leaders in the first half of the century, Yoshida returned to politics to rebuild Japan as a five-time prime minister after the devastation of World War II. Sandwiched between Japan&#39;s interests and major reforms advanced by MacArthur&#39;s occupation forces, Yoshida boldly pushed through the essential reforms that laid the foundation for his country&#39;s reentry into the global community. Richly laced with historical and personal detail, this book will be essential reading for anyone interested in twentieth-century Japan.</span></span>