Mythology and tradition--Authentic history--Old Japan--The transition from Old to New Japan--New Japan--Compelled by foreign nations to centralize--Ideals and material instruments supplied from abroad--Exuberant Patriotism--"Ai-koku-shin," 35 III. THE PROBLEM OF PROGRESS Is Japan making progress?--Happiness as a criterion--The oppressive rule of militarism--The emptiness of the ordinary life--The condition of woman--"The Greater Learning for Woman"--Divorce--Progress defined--Deficiency of the hedonistic criterion of progress, 52 IV. THE METHOD OF PROGRESS Progress a modern conception and ideal--How was the "cake of custom" broken?--"Government by discussion" an insufficient principle of progress--Two lines of progress, Ideal and Material--The significance of Perry's coming to Japan--Effect on Japan of Occidental ideas--The material element of progress--Mistaken praise of the simplicity of Old Japan, L. Hearn--The significance of the material element of civilization--Mastery of nature--The defect of Occidental civilization, 61 V. JAPANESE SENSITIVENESS TO ENVIRONMENT Our main question--Illustrations--Japanese students abroad--Sensitiveness to ridicule--Advantages and disadvantages of this characteristic--National sensitiveness to foreign criticism--Nudity--Formosa--Mental and physical flexibility--Adjustability--Some apparent exceptions--Chinese ideographs--How account for these characteristics, 72 VI. WAVES OF FEELING--ABDICATION The Japanese are emotional--An illustration from politics--The tendency to run to extremes--Danger of overemphasizing this tendency--Japanese silent dissent--Men of balance in public life--Abdication--Gubbins quoted--Is abdication an inherent trait? 82 VII. HEROES AND HERO-WORSHIP Popular national heroes--The craving for modern heroes--Townsend Harris's insight into Oriental character--Hero-worship an obstacle to missionary work--Capt. Jaynes--An experience in Kumamoto--"The sage of Omi"--"The true hero"--Moral heroes in Japan--The advantage and disadvantage of hero-worship--Modern moral heroes--Hero-worship depends on personality and idealism--The new social order is producing new ideals and new heroes, 89 VIII. LOVE FOR CHILDREN Japanese love for children--Children's festivals--Toys and toy-stores--Do Japanese love children more than Americans do?--Importance in Japan of maintaining the family line--The looseness of the Japanese family tie--Early cessation of demonstrative affection--Infanticide, 96 IX. MARITAL LOVE