Inequality Amid Affluence: Social Stratification in Japan

The two leading sociologists of social stratification in Japan argue that most Japanese have attained a level of income in which they no longer suffer from poverty and starvation, a situation in which Japan has achieved an equalization of ‘basic wealth’. However, at the same time, there has been no progress towards the equalization of ‘upper wealth’. There is inequality in many areas including income, assets, academic background, occupation, gender and lifestyles.