Introduction

The transistor salesman is arguably one of the most important figures in japan's post war history. Ecata hito was only in office as prime minister for four short years, but during that time he arguably did more than any one else to cement the post war system that largely dominates Japan today. He eventually tried to test into the gunon an gako, or army youth academy, essentially a feeder school for the army's officer academy in ichigaya, tokyo. The ecata family made their money as sake brewers and able to afford a good education, even for their youngest child. His story may be apocryphal, but it does a good job of capturing ac