In Memoriam: Chalmers Johnson

In Memoriam: Chalmers Johnson All of us at Asian Perspective mourn the passing of one of our distinguished editorial advisory board members, Dr. Chalmers Johnson. He died on November 27 at the age of 79. Chal Johnson will long be remembered not just as one of the world’s leading authorities on Japanese politics, but also as a giant among critical thinkers on U.S. policy in Asia. His groundbreaking study of Japanese state capitalism—MITI and the Japanese Miracle (published in 1982)—challenged neoliberal political economy and set the stage for many subsequent writings on state-guided economic development strategies elsewhere in East Asia. Later in life, Chal produced a masterful series of books on U.S. policy in which he underscored the dangers of “blowback” (the title of the first in the series, published in 2000) not just for U.S. interests abroad, but also for democracy at home. The creation of a permanent war economy, and its implications for democratic values, was a particular concern of his. Later books expanded on these themes: The Sorrows of Empire (2004), Nemesis (2006), and Dismantling the Empire (2010). As a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, for many years, Chalmers Johnson mentored numerous young scholars who have gone on to distinguished careers in the profession. Fittingly, one of them, Professor Peter Van Ness, will assume Chal’s place on our advisory board. We send our heartfelt condolences to Chalmers Johnson ’s wife, Sheila, his family, and his many friends and admirers. Mel Gurtov Editor-in-Chief ...