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Postwar Japanese Intellectuals' Changing Perspectives on “Asia” and Modernity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 May 2025

Oguma Eiji
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Japan's critical intellectuals, whose views on Asia Oguma Eiji analyzes in the context of Japan's postwar history, were quite influential at least through the 1970s. They regularly published not only in books but in monthly magazines read by hundreds of thousands and newspapers with circulations in the millions. As Oguma shows, their perspectives on Asia and modernity have fluctuated in response to a variety of factors, including most prominently Japan's relations with the U.S. but also in response to the changing course of Asian revolutions.

Type
Research Article
Information
Asia-Pacific Journal , Volume 5 , Issue 2 , February 2007 , e8
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
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Copyright © The Authors 2007

References

Notes

[1] Shimizu Ikutaro, “Nihonjin,” first published in Chuo Koron, January 1951, reprinted in Shimizu Ikutaro chosakushu, vol. 10, Kodansha, 1992-93, p. 10.

[2] The symposium, “Overcoming Modernity” was first carried in the October 1942 edition of the literary journal, Bungakkai (Literary World) and then in paperback form by Sogensha in July 1943. This roundtable discussion included some thirteen well-known Japanese philosophers, literary critics, poets, scientists, historians, musicians, movie critics, and others, including a number of apostate Marxists (tenko marukusushigisha). While the content of the symposium was not really considered to be that substantial, it came to be widely known by intellectuals of the day as a discourse symbolizing wartime intellectual trends.

[3] Maruyama Masao shu no. 3, vol. 3, Iwanami Shoten, 1995-97, p. 4.

[4] Hotta Yoshie, Ito Hiroshi, Takeuchi Yoshimi, Hirano Ken, Hanada Kiyoteru, “Nihon no kindai to kokumin bungaku,” in Shin-Nihon Bungaku, December 1953, p. 152.

[5] The August 1948 edition of the Communist Party organ Zen'ei carried a special issue titled Kindaishugi hihan (A Critique of Modernism), criticizing the magazine Kindai Bungaku and individuals such as Otsuka Hisao.

[6] Cited in Uchida Yoshihiko chosakushu vol. 10, Iwanami Shoten, 1988-89, p. 22.

[7] Otsuka Hisao chosakushu vol. 8, Iwanami Shoten, 1969-70, p. 171.

[8] See the essays in Maruyama Masao shu, vol. 2.

[9] Ishimoda Sho, Zoku rekishi to minzoku no hakken, Tokyo Daigaku Shuppankai, 1953, p. 411.

[10] Maruyama Masao shu, vol. 2, pp. 289-90.

[11] Representative of those attaching great importance to limiting Japan's expenditures for rearmament and prioritizing the US Security Treaty and economic growth is Yoshida Shigeru, the prime minister at the time the peace treaty was concluded. Yoshida's ties to “progressives” were subtle. In January 1951, for example, in order to resist increased American pressure to rearm, Yoshida secretly asked the left-wing faction of the Socialist Party to start an anti-rearmament movement. He then used the strength of domestic opposition as a reason to try and blunt American demands.

[12] Eto Jun and Oe Kenzaburo, “Gendai o do ikiru ka,” in Gunzo, January 1968, p. 176.

[13] Takeuchi Yoshimi zenshu, vol. 4, Chikuma Shobo, 1980-82.

[14] Maruyama Masao shu no 5, vol. 8, p. 3.

[15] Ouchi Hyoe, Arisawa Hiromi, Minobe Ryokichi, Inaba Shuzo, “Tandoku kowa to Nihon keizai,” in Sekai, October 1950.

16 Yamamoto Akira, Sengo fuzoku shi, Osaka: Osaka Shoseki, 1986, p. 97.

[17] NHK Hoso Yoron Chosajo, ed., Zusetsu: sengo yoron shi, Nihon Hoso Shuppan Kyokai, 1975, p. 14.

[18] Umesao Tadao, “Bunmei no seitai shikan yosetsu,” in Chuo Koron, February 1957.

[19] Honda Katsuichi, Chugoku no tabi, Asahi Shinbunsha, 1972.

[20] International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE), 1946-48.

[21] Tsurumi Shunsuke chosakushu vol. 5, no. 1, Chikuma Shobo, 1975, p. 131.

[22] Howard Zinn, “Sakana to gyoshi”, first published in Sekai heiwa undo shiryo, July 1967, reprinted in Shiryo “Beheiren” undo, Chikuma Shobo, 1974, p. 89.

[23] Hannichi kakumei sengen, Higashi Ajia Hannichi Buso Sensen, 1979.

[24] Mahathir bin Mohamad and Ishihara Shintaro, “No” to ieru Ajia, Kobunsha, 1994.