Glossary

Zaibatsu

Large family-owned conglomerates that controlled much of the economy of Japan prior to World War II. The four most historically significant zaibatsus, the Big Four, are Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Yasuda, and Sumitomo whose roots date back to the Japanese Edo period.

Zeitgeist

A German expression that can be interpreted to mean “the spirit of time.” It indicates the general intellectual state and outlook of an era or generation.