Part 1/9:
The Rise and Fall of Japan: From Economic Superpower to Debt Crisis
Japan, once heralded as an economic colossus in the early 1980s, has since seen its fortunes transform dramatically. In a time when it was the world's second-largest economy, Japan faced staggering land prices—even achieving a remarkable $25,000 per square meter in Tokyo’s commercial districts—compared to just $1,000 in the United States. This period, marked by significant innovation from leading manufacturing giants like Toyota, Panasonic, and Sony, painted a picture of a nation poised to supersede America as a global superpower. However, by the early 1990s, the economic landscape dramatically shifted, leading to a prolonged stagnation characterized by overwhelming debt.