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).