The Enigma of Japanese Power: People and Politics in a Stateless Nation is a book by Dutch journalist Karel van Wolferen, published in 1989.
Of these, sections dealing with education, the elusive Japanese state, the all-pervasive bureaucracy, the middle class, ritual in society, and the press are regarded as the most important.
Overall, Van Wolferen creates an image of a state where a complicated political-corporate relationship retards progress, and where the citizens forgo the social rights enjoyed in other developed countries out of a collective fear of foreign domination.
While it is true that the book sometimes harshly criticizes Japanese society, the author also praises many aspects of it, including work ethic, low crime rate, thrift, and respect for elders.
Overall the western reception has been more positive than in Japan, and it, or sections of it, are frequently studied by Japanese and business students attempting to gain a better understanding of the nation.