Japanese nationalism: ideological development from the 1920s to 1945

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The relatively young Empire of Japan saw rapid development from the isolationism of the Edo period to nationalism. Japanese nationalism would pervade religious, philosophical, cultural and moral thinking. This received an accelerating ideological development from the 1920s to 1945 as Showa nationalism, both a theoretical drive and a practical political implementation, with fateful consequences.

[edit] Establishment powers

The Mombatsu (nobility and aristocracy), Zaibatsu (Commercial and Industrialists Clans) and Gumbatsu (Landowners and Military class) organized the first Nationalists local movements. These movements served to inspire the first contemporary thinkers of this period: Tokonami Takejiro, Baron Kiichiro Hiranuma and Mitsuru Toyama. Appearing on the scene later was the most important of these contemporary Japanese nationalist thinkers. He would introduce State socialism Kita Ikki. Japan received ideological support from fascist Italy and National Socialist Germany.

[edit] European-Japanese Fascist ideological connections

At all this elements mentioned one observed why during the late 1930s to the early 1940s, if possibly why Japan receiving some ideas from Italian and German Socialism.

If possibly seeing some direct historical precedents why also integrated from your local traditions the Axis alliance members.

When observed why Japanese took their traditions of Samurai warriors, Bushi-do Code or administrative system of Shogunate, in relative parallel Fascist Italy remember your ancient ideals of the Roman Empire or Cavaliers traditions or in one most depth case, Nazi Germany also used the ideals of the First Reich and their King Othon I, the Teutonic Cavalier Order, the "Fredericus Rex" legends the Second Reich Empire military traditions for mixed this with their NS ideology, or the "Sacred Germanic-Roman Empire" alliance if seeing when Italy and Germany signed their alliance pact. But the best known example of these traditions in the German case are the "Prussian Military Spirit" provided from the German Province of East Prussia.

Respect at European fascist apports, why Japanese thinker Kita Ikki and others traveled to Europe, or read some European political books receiving these ideological apport and they transformed this into new Japanese political right-wing thinking and remembered why during last 30s and 40s decades, Japan received the visit of Members of European fascist parties, represent for example, Eugen Ott German Nazi ambassador, some Nazi party or SS units members and there was a small German and Italian Colony in Tokio, Karafuto and other parts in Japanese empire.

Theirs if supposed, leaving examples of Mein Kampf and other European fascist ideology bibliographical sources, why Japanese thinkers and philosophers read at continuing, for added these apports at local radical nationalists ideology. These ideological interchange inclusive if continuing at last stages of conflict, when way German subs arriving to Japan, along German scientists and experts some Nazi German politics and Military forces or SS members (case how German sub why realizing the travel to Germany at Japan with one SS political member along Japanese Navy passengers, in special travel to transport Uranium-234 for nuclear artifact) or exist some flying plans of the Luftwaffe or the Italian Regia Aeronautica (special Italian flight from Europe, over Russia and Siberia Mainland to Manchukuo for Japanese Navy or special flight of Heinkel He 277 V-1 from Salzburg to East Asia or flight plan of Junkers Ju 290A with special long-range modifications from France to Manchukuo, how others examples) making extended long-distance flights from Europe to Manchukuo or Japan during the last months of European front. Or before at conflict when Soviet Russia are certain member of Axis, when Germany and Japan use with Russian authorization, the Trans-Siberian Railway for commercial deliveries of prime materials. And remember the common hatred of communism motivated the axis Berlin-Rome-Tokio military alliance.

Japan, Germany and Italy maintained diplomatic services, cultural departments, to maintain cultural contact with their own citizens and cultural interchange with Japanese natives and the Far East headquarters of the German Press Agency D.N.B. or Italian agency Stefani. Japan maintained official and ideological contact with the Axis alliance for media of your Ambassador in Europe, General Hiroshi Oshima, who maintained in his post at final of European war. Reiterrally if evident why during these political or ideological interchanges, if impossibly why Japanese, well known over liked to learned about foreign knowledge, no take any political apports products of these interchange. Other point of interchange if the Submarine Base in Penang, Malaca. From this area operated some Italian, German and Japanese Navy Subs, and in this installations receiving important sending why Germany or Italy transported via Submarine during the conflict.

In Germany there were some thinkers and philosophers analyzing the question of European-Asian ideological relations in different angles:

• Alfred Rosenberg: between his political and philosophical works he observed the German-Indian and Islamic ideological relationship.

• Rudolf von Sebottendorf: he analyzed the Islamic question and organized a German-Islamic secret society, "Thule Gesellschaft".

• Rudolf Hess: he composed some writings in Politics and Philosophy, in his analysis observed the future raising of Islamics as political power.

• Hungarian Trebitsh-Lincoln and Erick Jan Janussen: theirs take the topic of geopolitical axis between Germany, Russia and the Far East. In particular Trebitsh-Lincoln analyzed the Chinese-German ideological relations too and before at European conflict himself are one active foreign collaborator with Japanese in Manchukuo, Tibet and Chinese occupied lands in Chinese-Japanese conflict and before, during the Pacific War.

• Karl Haushofer: stayed certain times in Japan and was also member of the Green Dragon Society in this country, and thinking the question of German-Far East ideological topics and organized the German Geopolitics in relation with Far East. He founded in Munich the "Institute für Geopolitik" for organized the dynamics German action geopolitics plans and "Lebensraum" concept. Same thinker analyzed the future raising of Muslim political power too.

[edit] Other East Asian-European fascist ideological relations

Respect at some East Asian connections with Japanese nationalism and Fascism, there is evidence about Wang-Chingwei's meetings with German Leader or local Hindu leaders in British administration who stayed in secret contact with German and Japanese agents before and wartime during the Pacific War. Indians considered at Führer how "Vishnu Incarnation" or "Chakravartin King" for putting the real order in Europe, the secret German-Tibetan Connections with some German voyages to Lhasa and one occult groups of Tibetans why living in Berlin before at war, the White Russian political use of Fascism ideology and the Swastika in Manchukuo. These ideological interchange apport other Asian right-wing elements to Japanese nationalists sources during conflict times.

The local environment thinking in Japan in times are next:

"Japan are for Japanese and Japan debt for Japanese, the foreign employees are expelled, and substituted by natives." In The Diet and High Chamber, exist opposition to foreign Weight and Measures Metrical System, for believing as an insult to National Honour. The Commerce Chamber of Tokio, petitioned why the Roman nomenclature in silver and copper monetary mint, are replaced by local mint denomination.

Not only are return to national oldest costumes in great part, and revive the interests for native entertaining, without the particular thinking, theirs stay decided to defeated at Western democracies and Communists in your own land with own proper weapons. Japan if proposed augment its commerce in Pacific and convert in Asian Rector in war and diplomacy contemporary arts.

In Japan if organized for teaching with its thinking in Education area, others analyzed the philosophy question, others exposed the Japanese modes of created new ways of International Rights, the religious and theologians studied your proper "Superior Theology", and conceived its proper national religion, the moralists discovering the Gallantry, Patriotism and Loyalty how your own virtues, in other words the Japanese Gallantry, Japanese Loyalty and Japanese Patriotism, poses proper lights and major value why the previous qualities mentioned with same names in inferior countries like England, France, Russia or United States.

"Japan is a Young Country and the young pose more trust in same proper and own future."

These ideology continuing your development with Shumei Okawa, Kingoro Hashimoto and Ishikawa Kanishi, Sadao Araki (founder of the Kodoha party, also known as the Imperial Way Faction), General Mazaki. Others thinkers how Fumio Goto and Count Yoriyasu Arima read about Karl Marx and Max Stirner books, Fumimaro Konoye and Fusanosuke Kuhara treated to organized one right-wing new theory. In these times Araki between your ideological works realized the contemporaneous modification of Bushi-do warrior code in "seishin kyoiku" (Spiritual Training) for giving some ideological and spiritual support at Imperial armed forces. Along these ideologists stay others, such as Yoshio Kodama, Ryoichi Sasakawa, Prince Chichibu with some connections with some secret societies and Yakuza criminal gangs or another delictive groups.

Japanese Empire stay in its highest point in all aspects. The Japanese economy and finances stay in their most excellent state debt at enormous resources obtain in foreign conquests campaigns, the farming, fishing, forestry, mining and regular heavy Industry were in plenty expansion. The Empire augment in geographical extension and debt to organized the adequate political administration for new exterior areas since 1937.

The Military industry of Zaibatsus Clans and technical development poses great importance and also same industry manufactured more weapons for armed forces. Along this certain personalities how Chozo Murata and Ichizo Kobayashi, Zaibatsu Clan members and representatives in central government, are the contact with Militarists and your followers. Thes mentioned local Japanese Zaibatsu members also are fervent believers of Adolf Hitler Nazi thinking and Italian fascists ideas and theirs proposed why Japanese industry debt to continuing the post of German military and others industrial monopolies between the European fascists commercial, economic and Industrial theories. The military technology in same period advanced at levels how development of modern vessels, tanks handguns or aircraft, research in last types of regular propeller, rocket and jet-powered aircraft and engines, special submarine high velocity engines, some types of radars and similar, special investigations into secret military technologies of their own creation, studies in chemical/biological weapons and the local nuclear energy research in the last times of conflict, thanks partially to their technological interchange with the Axis Powers alliance and their own local research development in national universities, private industries and secret military research departments.

The Doctrine of Kikosaku (severe punishment without martial law involvement), if strictly implement by Kempeitai, Tokko and Tokei-Tai (secret Naval Police) in your work areas. The foremost expression of Japanese doctrines mixed with ancient military traditions stay in the creation of Vice Admiral Takijiro Ohnishi, when ideed and organized the elite of Japanese forces, the special corps of "Kamikaze Tokobetsu Kogekitai" in the last stages of conflict.

These ideological task continuing for Triad conformed by Hideki Tojo Yosuke Matsuoka and Naoki Hoshino with these ideological basis organized new right thinking structures in Militarism-Socialism ideology along the Shintoism state reforms with Chikao Fijusawa, Heisuke Yanagawa, Kuniaki Koizo, Prince Kanin and Baron Hiranuma. In Manchuria following the Industrialists Militarist Doctrine of Naoki Hoshino, Yoshisuke Aikawa organized the Manchukuo State Zaibatsu for administered the Natural, economic, Commercial and Industrial resources for the Japanese Army. In same direction stay working Kanji Tsuneoka in Mengjiang and Kumataro Honda in Cochinchina state.

The State Shintoists Policy stay in your final development, along the Educative nationalist doctrine, joining at final stage of Emperor worship national cult and the last development of Nationalist thinking in form of Showa nationalism ideology. in same period if exist high promoted of return to own ancient moral, literature costumes and culture against pernicious foreign ideas, if rose the xenophobic sense against foreigners too.

In these days if high promoted for Japanese thinkers the racial and moral superiority ideas, when theirs created some eugenics laws and if organized measures for augment the population for obtain more perfect contemporary Samurais for future growth of Japanese conquest plans. One of these thinkers and proposers are Katsuko Tojo, General Tojo's wife and in charge of managing these policies in country.

For other part the Ideological and Strategical Army and Navy Groups of "Strike North" and "Strike South" in your bases of Manchukuo and Formosa preparing your conquest plans of Mainland Asia and Pacific area. These plans poses some bases of ancient Satsuma and Chosu clan traditions of your geographical origins, the first from south sea areas and the second provided from northern continental areas and the "Tanaka memorial", where mentioned some Axis lands for future Japanese expansions how Mainland China, Soviet Far East, Indochina, Southeast Asia areas, etc. Theirs along Zaibatsu interests organized the Economical-Political Doctrines of "Yen Block" and your development in "Great Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere", one inspiration of Army thinker General Hachiro Arita. At the same time Other ideologists created the "Amau Doctrine" and "Hakko Ichiu Doctrine" for justified the Japanese intervention right in nearest areas.

During pacific Wartime, the Japanese Government, along with the Japanese Army and Navy founded the "Greater East Asia Affair Ministry" with administrative responsibilities over new conquest lands in the East Asia Mainland. These Japanese political entity, coincidentally similar to the German "East Territories Affairs Ministry" under guided of Alfred Rosenberg, poses the next classification in submitted lands under Japanese influence (4.4 million Sq Km with 150 million residents):

• Thailand Reign
• French Indochina (convert in East Asia Autonomous Province)
• Burma (Independent from August 1943)
• Philippines (Independent from October 1943)
• Territory of Hong Kong
• Nan-yo (Australasia or Southern Sea lands)

These last division comprended:

• Shonan or Syonan (Malaca, Singapore and Sumatra)
• Java
• Borneo
• Celebes and Sonda Islands
• New Guinea (except moresby port)
• Christmas Island

Additionally Japanese controlled Salomon and Gilbert Islands. With this one seeing why Japan if attributed the post of Rector and guided of destiny of Southeast Asia and west Pacific area.

Another geopolitical purpose of Japanese thinkers if the idea of realizing the "Racial Symbiosis" of Japan and China "implant the Japanese soul in Chinese body" if constituted in "Greater East Asia", one autarquic empire, how no known another in the world, compared only with the Mongol Empire, with ample possibilities exceeded at own possibilities of the United States or the Soviet Union.

The military traditions in times stay related with period since Russian-Japanese East Railway incident (1929), Mukden incident (1931), Second Chinese-Japanese war (1937-1945), Chakungfeng incident (1938), Nomonhan incident (1939), Pearl harbor Attack (1941) to Pacific War conflict (1941-1945).

During Showa Times the Japanese Empire extend in your largest tall, from Attu and Kiska in Alaska, to Wake, and Gilbert Islands, from Gilberts to Andaman/Nicobar and Indochina, Dutch East Indies, Christmas Island, some Chinese provinces to Philippines with center in Kwantung, Manchuria, Korean Peninsula, Karafuto, Formosa and Japanese Metropolitan islands.