Introduction -- Historical Changes of the Japanese Economy -- Recovery Period (Reforms, Social and Political Changes, and Economic Policy) -- Rapid Economic Growth -- Results of the Rapid Economic Growth: Positive Effects -- Results of the Rapid Economic Growth: Negative Effects or Distortions -- Bubble Economy and Its Generation -- Bursting the Bubble and Its Consequences -- Toward a Welfare-Oriented Society: Some Lessons from Rapid Economic Growth and the Bubble Economy -- Income and Asset Distribution, and the Relative Share -- Households and Pension -- Toward the Quality of Life in the Mature Society (Summary and Lessons).