근대 일본과 아시아주의

Modern Japan and Asianism - Mainly with Beyond Asia and Entry to Asia -

Asianism that appeared in Japan in the latter half of the 19th century was the means to yield ‘power’ in the process to contest the West, for integration of Asia, and to establish self-identity. The justification of the Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War and the competition between the superpowers was also the Asianism, and the main characteristics of the Asianism were in double-sidedness that Japan was regarded as a member of the West or a member of Asia. Namely, Japan was showing twofold features to vent ‘contempt’ for and ‘solidarity’ with Asia at the same time shuttling between ‘Beyond Asia’ and ‘Entry to Asia’ ‘Beyond Asia’ meant that Japan needed to get out of the influence of the uncivilized Asian countries that affected Japan and it wanted to be in the same boat with the Western civilized country, and it was so called ‘Beyond Asia and Entry to Europe’. On the other hand, ‘Entry to Asia’ meant while leaving the identity of Japan in Asia, the Asian countries should have cooperated and banded together with each other under the leadership of Japan in order to resist the Western Powers. However, in spite of the competitive relationship between the ‘Beyond Asia’ and ‘Entry to Asia’, they had something in common in the points like the following. First, they started from the common motives to resist and overcome the West. Second, ‘Beyond Asia’ and ‘Entry to Asia’ were looking for the spatial oneness of the region in the elements of civilization in spite of the fact that they were in the spaces of the different civilizations. Third, ‘Beyond Asia’ and ‘Entry to Asia’ were cognizing that hierarchical order with Japan at the top was the alternative regional order in Asia. In this aspect, ‘Beyond Asia’ and ‘Entry to Asia’ were the space that constituted the two sides of the same action which are complementary and not opposite to each other, and it was packed with the name of Asianism. Like the above, the modern Japan was shuttling between the spaces where it could selectively take ‘Beyond Japan’ and ‘Entry to Asia’ that were Asianism and while granting motives to their foreign actions they were getting soaked with the blind idea that they were a superior nation born with the destiny to govern Asia.