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Japan Forward
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Japan Forward
'Modern Japan's Place in World History: From Meiji to Reiwa'
Modern Japan's Place in World History (Springer Nature, open access) is an ambitious collection of essays spanning 211 pages. Edited by Masayuki Yamauchi and Yuichi Hosoya, it was published in early 2023. The volume traces Japan's journey from the transformative Meiji Restoration through the symbolic Reiwa era, offering a panoramic view of how Japan has navigated its role on the global stage. With contributions from 14 leading Japanese historians, the book zeroes in on critical junctures — wars, diplomacy, economy, and identity — with both empirical rigor and philosophical depth. The project began as a series of lectures conducted at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party headquarters from December 2015 to July 2018. They were part of a group established at the time to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the LDP (p vii). Called the "Study History, Consider the Future Group," it comprised politicians and scholars. A Japanese version of the compilation was published first in 2019, followed by this English version in 2023. Emperor Meiji Emperor Naruhito The editors organized the volume in a broadly chronological sequence, anchoring each chapter to a decisive historical turning point. While there are no subsections to the 15 chapters (including an Introduction and Afterword), key themes include: Meiji Restoration and Westernization Exploring Meiji's early drive toward bunmei-kaika (civilization and enlightenment), the essays show how Japan selectively emulated Western models in education, governance, and industry — not merely copying, but synthesizing new forms of identity and statehood. Imperial Wars and Expansion Chapters on the First Sino-Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War, and Manchurian Crisis examine how military victories and territorial ambitions reshaped national confidence and global perception, establishing Japan as an imperial power. The interconnected narratives of World War I and World War II illustrate how global conflicts forced Japan into alliance systems, total war, and ultimately, collapse. These provide raw material for the book's central inquiry: how Japan moved from aggressor to ally. Postwar Reconstruction and United States Occupation Reflective essays cover economic revival under American oversight, constitutional reform, and the paradigm shift from imperial empire to pacifist democracy — laying the groundwork for Japan's new alignment in the Asia-Pacific. Japan–China Relations & Regional Diplomacy The editors dedicate thoughtful space to the normalization of diplomatic ties in the 1970s, and the evolving Sino-Japanese relationship — from Cold War tensions through modern interdependence. Contemporary Japan in Global Context These concluding essays consider Japan's role in globalization, decolonization, and multilateral institutions, into the Reiwa era. They touch on soft power, technological influence, and ongoing identity negotiations. Modern Japan's Place in History shines through its integration of fresh research and historiographical self-reflection. The Japanese contributors challenge traditional Western-centered narratives. For example: The Meiji modernization is reframed as Japan crafting a hybridized identity, not merely West-mimicking, but West-informed innovation. Imperial military actions are analyzed in light of domestic political struggles and emergent pan-Asian ideologies. The postwar occupation is revisited not as a unilateral imposition, but as a negotiated transformation with shared, though unequal, agency. By weaving global history with Japanese perspectives, the book achieves a conceptual unity: Japan has been inseparable from the world — sometimes leading, sometimes following, and always adapting There are several strengths to the book, including: Each essay connects Japanese domestic developments to international forces, reinforcing the thesis that Japan has never been historically insular. With fourteen specialists — including editors Yamauchi (Musashino University / University of Tokyo) and Hosoya (Keio University), who each wrote chapters — the book guarantees scholarly depth from an entirely Japanese perspective. At 211 pages, it's condensed yet wide-ranging, suitable for scholars, students, and informed lay readers. Open access publication lowers barriers, facilitating global scholarly engagement. This is particularly valuable in current debates on intellectual equity. Introduction (Yuichi Hosoya) First Chapter: The Meiji Restoration as a Constitutional Revolution (Kazuhiro Takii) Second Chapter: The First Sino-Japanese War and East Asia (Takashi Okamoto) Third Chapter: The Russo-Japanese War and Modern International Society (Yuichi Hosoya) Fourth Chapter: World War I and the Origin of the Sino-Japanese Conflict (Soichi Naraoka) Fifth Chapter: Transformational Period in Japan-China Modern Relations (Shin Kawashima) Sixth Chapter: The Manchurian Incident and Party Cabinets (Michihiko Kobayashi) Seventh Chapter: Disarmament Conferences and a Crisis of Diplomacy in the Interwar Period (Ken Kotani) Eighth Chapter: The Southward Advance and Going to War with the United States (Atsushi Moriyama) Ninth Chapter: US Policy for the Occupation of Japan and Changes to It (Ayako Kusunoki) Tenth Chapter: Law and Politics in the Tokyo Trial (Yoshinobu Higurashi) Eleventh Chapter: Japanese Colonial Rule and the Issue of Perceptions of History (Kan Kimura) Twelfth Chapter: Postwar Japan-China Relations (Masaya Inoue) Thirteenth Chapter: The Issue of Historical Perspective from the Post-Heisei Era (Hiroshi Nakanishi) Afterword: Japan's Modern History: A Reiwa Era Perspective (Masayuki Yamauchi) In publishing in English, the editors clearly hoped the book would reach an international audience. This is hinted at in the Acknowledgments (p xi) to the English version. They seem to have in mind fellow students of modern Japan as the main audience. Additionally, this book will likely interest non-specialists curious about Japanese modern history, who will appreciate its accessible essays and rich historical arcs, as well as scholars exploring global history, war and diplomacy, cultural imperialism, and postcolonial studies. In short, the writing balances academic rigor with broader readability. The global framing helps those less versed in Japanese specifics. Book cover Title: Modern Japan's Place in World History From Meiji to Reiwa Editors: Masayuki Yamauchi, Yuichi Hosoya Publisher: Springer Nature, 2023 ISBN-10 : 9811995923 ISBN-13 : 978-9811995927 Additional Information: This is an Open Access book. It is available to readers for free on the publisher's website. It is also available in softcover or hardback versions, at a cost, from the publisher or through online booksellers. Reviewed by Robert D Eldridge
Yomiuri Shimbun
15-06-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Keio U. Professor Yuichi Hosoya Says Japan Showing Good Example by Not Rushing to Conclude Trade Deal over U.S. Tariffs
The Yomiuri Shimbun Keio University Prof. Yuichi Hosoya speaks during an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun. Yuichi Hosoya, a professor at Keio University, said that Japan's negotiating stance with the United States has been effective in that the negotiators have not rushed to reach an agreement and have not made easy concessions, in a recent interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun. The following is excerpted from the interview conducted by Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Hirotaka Kuriyama. *** It seems to me that U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to bring about a 'revolution' that he was unable to achieve during his first term after being elected with no prior experience in public service. His intention is to reform the country's governance structure. For Trump, control by the traditional liberal elites of the nation is a 'malady' that must be overcome. The blocking of the entry of new international students to Harvard University and the reduction of federal government staff through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) should be seen as part of Trump's reform efforts. Trump also believes that free trade is the root cause of all the ills that have led to the loss of U.S. jobs and the decline of the country's industrial competitiveness. He is trying to fundamentally solve these issues by shifting the country's trade structure to a more protectionist one. Trump's policies that seek to revolutionize the traditional governance structure and socioeconomic system are now causing confusion around the world. The announcement of reciprocal tariffs by Trump must have shocked Japanese government officials. Normally, the United States has placed the great power competition with China at the center of its national strategy, so strengthening ties with allied and like-minded countries should be essential for the United States. The fact that the United States uniformly views countries with large trade deficits as a problem and treats allies such as Japan and South Korea as if they were 'threats' to the United States is a shift from the traditional position. Trump uses tariff measures only as a tool to threaten other countries and attempts to make deals favorable to the United States. He treats tariffs as if they were a panacea, a means of forcing other countries to obey the United States, believing that Japan, his first negotiating partner, would bow to the pressure. However, Japan has not rushed to conclude an agreement from the standpoint of defending the existing free trade system and the rule-based international order. Many countries are following Japan's example and negotiating with the United States without making easy concessions. For Trump, this must be an unexpected turn. Such a stance taken by Japan should be appreciated. If the Japanese side can present a proposal that will help strengthen U.S. domestic industries and create jobs in the country, it may be possible for Japan to make the United States lower its tariffs or extend a pause in the tariffs for Japan. However, if the tariff measures are found to be ineffective, Trump may use a new threat to significantly reduce security measures for allies. There is concern that such a measure could trigger a contingency in Taiwan by China or Russian aggression against countries seeking membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). As a U.S. ally, Japan is required to continue to persuade the United States not to use security engagement and alliances as a tool for deals. Yuichi Hosoya Hosoya, 53, earned his doctorate from Keio University and specializes in international politics and diplomatic history. After working as a visiting researcher at Princeton University in the United States, among other positions, he took up his current position in 2010. He has written books such as 'Rinri teki na Senso' (Ethical warfare) (which was awarded the Yomiuri-Yoshino Sakuzo Prize) and 'Jishu Dokuritsu toha Nanika' (What is self-dependence?).
