Those familiar with William Wayne Farris’ opus Japan’s Medieval Population: Famine, Fertility and Warfare in a Transformative Age (2006) will recognize his thesis in the new primer from Michigan – namely that the population of Japan “essentially remained static between 700 and 1150, with a decrease occurring around 950.” This compact (roughly 100 pages) and exceedingly lucid survey of what is and can be known about the demographics of ancient Japan sets forth the latest Japanese research, provides the author's evaluation of the sources for our knowledge, and explains how all of this supports his thesis.
