John Pilger presents a two-part look at the “real” Japan, at working and living conditions, at education, the status of women and at nationalism. Pilger demonstrates that behind the public relations image of a high tech, happy population, employed for life by benevolent big brother companies, lies the private truth of powerless unions, small companies, unemployment, inequality between the sexes, pollution, educational pressure and escalating expenditure on armaments. Yet in spite of all this, the everyday kindness, modesty and grace of the Japanese people is unaffected.