Japan, the geopolitical lynchpin in the East Asian region, has developed a unique maritime security policy and interpretation of the law of the sea. Japanese Maritime Security and the Law of the Sea examines Japan’s domestic laws and its approach to international law.

A chronicle of America's intensive shipbuilding programme during World War II, this explores the development of revolutionary construction methods and the recruitment, training, housing and union activities of the workers.

Praise for In Peace and War "A comprehensive, balanced, and compelling history of a first-class educational institution, and of the complex history it services." --Sean T. Connaughton, Esq., Kings Point '83, Maritime Administrator "A great read . . . an accurate and absorbing depiction of an institution I was proud to lead for seven years. The authors truly grasped the unique character of the Academy." --Rear Admiral Thomas A. King, Kings Point '42, sixth Superintendent of Kings Point "Evokes memories of the earliest challenges in establishing a maritime institution where future success embodies the Academy's motto acta non verba." --Rear Admiral Lauren S. McCready, Kings Point Professor and Head of Engineering, 1942-1975 "Much more than an institutional history . . . a fascinating and informed portrait of the individuals and philosophies behind Kings Point." --Captain Warren G. Leback, Kings Point '44, past Maritime Administrator and industry leader "Well-written and meticulously researched . . . . A must-read for any maritime history buff." --Captain Arthur R. Moore, Kings Point '44, author of A Careless Word . . . A Needless Sinking "The best description of the merchant marine in the last seventy-five years, and the best account of why Kings Point became so important to our national security and economy." --George R. Searle, past president, American Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II

This is the first major English-language study to explore the broad and longstanding connections between Japan’s national security and the safety of its sea lanes. Tracing issues from pre-and post-1945 eras, the book explores how Japan’s concerns with sea lane protection have developed across such diverse fields as military strategy, diplomacy, trade policy, energy security, and law enforcement. Drawing upon case study material and primary research including interviews with officials and security analysts, the book presents a chronological analysis of Japan’s sea lane security. While Japan’s security policies have recently undergone relatively rapid change, a historical treatment of sea lane security issues reveals long-term continuity in security policymakers’ perceptions and responses regarding Japan's defence and foreign policy. Revealing a neglected but important aspect of Japan’s military and economic security, the book investigates why officials and analysts continue to portray the defence of Japan’s sea lanes as ‘a matter of life and death’.