A teaching unit on the Japanese automobile worker was developed from a compilation of on-site interviews with Japanese company managers and production line employees, and official publications of the Japanese car industry. The unit is designed to present a balanced picture of Japan's economic success and labor relations and to develop global understanding. Material is divided into two main sections. Section one contains an essay presenting the author's view of Japan as a case study of Buddhist economics. Section two consists of four lessons which carry the students from a general overview of the Japanese economy to a specific detailed look at the Toyota Motor Company as an example of this economic system. Specific lesson titles are: Japan Information Inventory, Japan through Graphs and Charts, Toyota Spirit and Ideas, and Toyota Employee Profiles. Teachers' instructions as well as all student handouts are provided. Separate sections cover concluding activities, continuation activities, and a bibliography. (LP)