Randolph Miller
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Pan-Asianism emphasized need for Asian unity
Traditionally China was seen as the center of Asia
Originally against the encroachment of Western
colonialism, influence, and imperialism
Functioned as a tool for legitimizing Japan’s claim
for hegemony in East Asia and Japanese colonial
rule
“Asian values” were a response to the supposed
universality of Western thought
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Pan-Asianism was appealing at a time when
Asian nations had strong economic bonds
Pan-Asianism was omnipotent force in
modern Japan’s foreign policy and in the
process of creating Japan’s identity
During the Meiji era (1868-1912) it became the
opposite of its “realist” foreign policy, in
which Japan would join club of great powers.
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Pan-Asianism started in mid-nineteenth
century because China and Japan were forced
to open up their markets after a long period
of isolationism and join the system of
international relations, which was dominated
by Western powers.
In the aftermath of the Opium Wars, China
looked weak against Europe
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Over time Japan grew
more powerful and
plans to return to Asia
became plans to lead
Asia
Japan got confidence
thanks to victory in
Russo-Japanese War of
1904-1905
http://web.me.com/mconway/DPHistory/page16/files/cfa070559177a66a8e5d927f80be02da-0.html
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European countries had a
fear of “Yellow Peril”, the
idea that a united “yellow
race” would threaten
European supremacy
Japan wanted to play nice
with Europe and even tried
to suppress the PanAsianism movement, even
jailing authors of PanAsianism writings
http://www.jahsonic.com/YellowPeril.html
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Japanese politician
Central figure in PanAsian movement
After the First SinoJapanese War, created the
East Asian Common
Culture Society, to
improve relations between
Japan and China
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Konoe_Atsumaro.jpg
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Believed Japan and
Korea should
merge
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Japanese author and
philosopher
Wrote about how Japan would
lead Asia after a military coup
Said Japan’s population was
growing, so it would have to
acquire more territory
His last book led to a failed
coup attempt, so he was
executed
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kita_Ikki.jpg
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Before World War I, politicians in Japan
avoided Pan-Asianism rhetoric.
After the Great War, it became more
acceptable to say “The fate of Asia must be
decided by Asians.”
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Cultural Unity of the peoples and nations of East
Asia, based on the common use of Chinese
characters (Kanji)
“racial” kinship of East Asian peoples, categorized
by the west as the “yellow race”
Geographical proximity and historical legacy of the
Sinocentric order
The feeling of a “common” destiny in the struggle
of Asian peoples against Western Imperialism,
westernization, and modernization
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Wrote a 1200 page text called Theory of PanAsianism
Responding to criticism of the book said “Some
people denounce pan-Asianism as being based on a
narrow racist frame of mind. But racial prejudices are
what the white nations have taught us. To speak of the
white peril and to advocate pan-Asianism cannot touch
the malicious propagation by Europeans and Americans
of the yellow peril and their call for a white alliance.
While the former is defensive, passive and pacifist, the
latter is offensive, aggressive and imperialistic.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kiyoshi_Miki.JPG
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Manchukuo011.jpg
"bloc of Asian nations led by the Japanese and free of
Western powers"
Kiyoshi Miki invented idea, but was outraged that it
was used to justify aggressive expansion in China and
southeast Asia
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Wrote two books arguing
for the existance of
Yamashita’s gold
The Yamato Dynasty: the
Secret History of Japan’s
Imperial Famiy
Gold Warriors: America’s
Secret Recovery of
Yamashita’s Gold
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKseagraveS.htm
http://openlibrary.org/search?person_facet=Ferdinand+E.+Marcos+%281917-%29
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AKA Yamashita’s Treasure
Loot that Japan stole from southeast Asia that
was hidden in underground in the
Philippines during World War II
Looted from banks, homes, churches, and
everywhere else
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General who
commanded Japanese
forces in the
Philippines in 1944
Hanged in 1946 for
war attrocities
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Yamashita.jpg