Author Description

This book, the second of three related volumes on number theory, is the English translation of the original Japanese book. Here, the idea of class field theory, a highlight in algebraic number theory, is first described with many concrete examples. A detailed account of proofs is thoroughly exposited in the final chapter. The authors also explain the local-global method in number theory, including the use of ideles and adeles. Basic properties of zeta and L-functions are established and used to prove the prime number theorem and the Dirichlet theorem on prime numbers in arithmetic progressions.