Rustin Gates is Associate Professor of History at Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois, USA. He received his MA (2000) and PhD (2007) in Modern Japanese History from Harvard University. A specialist in the history of Japanese international relations, his research has appeared in numerous outlets including scholarly journals, book chapters in anthologies, and in professional online blogs. His first research project studied the career of prewar Foreign Minister Uchida Yasuya to understand the development of Japanese diplomacy from the Meiji period through the 1930s. His current research examines Japan’s Self-Defense Forces in the context of US-Japan relations during the Cold War.
This essay considers the question of whether the Great War was a turning point in Japanese foreig... more This essay considers the question of whether the Great War was a turning point in Japanese foreign affairs by examining the policies of post-World War I (WWI) Foreign Minister Uchida Yasuya (1865-1936) in relation to his work as minister earlier in the decade. Uchida had a long career in the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It must be noted that Japanese foreign policy did undergo a shift at the conclusion of the Great War. Moving along with the trends of the times, Japan reluctantly abandoned its favored bilateral alliances, most notably the Anglo- Japanese Alliance, in favor of the collective security provided by the League of Nations and the multi-lateral agreements of the Washington Conference. It argues that this shift, while not unimportant, was rooted in an earlier policy of cooperation with the powers that had been a guiding principle of Japanese diplomacy since the early Meiji era. Keywords: Japanese foreign affairs; Uchida Yasuya; world war I (WWI)
by rulers. When the latter become distorted, so do the forces of nature, which in turn bring abou... more by rulers. When the latter become distorted, so do the forces of nature, which in turn bring about ‘various heavenly and earthly disasters’ (422–23). The final pages of Buy o Inshi’s text present its distinctive, quasi-revolutionary message: act in Heaven’s place before Heaven does. Buy o recognizes that Heaven invariably punishes evil, but it does so only after evil is grossly manifest, exercising perhaps too much patience before then bringing about too much of a massive reordering. Rather than wait for ‘Heaven’s punishment’, Buy o Inshi proactively suggests another approach, one in which he and others of like mind serve as the vanguard of ‘the Way of Heaven’ and ‘the Way of the buddhas’. He flatly dismisses as ineffective reliance on buddhas and kami, declaring instead, ‘only man can govern man’ (411). He equally rejects weakwilled, deferential versions of Confucianism, even while affirming a strong version of ‘benevolent government’ – a notion as quintessentially Confucian as any could possibly be – to be realized through ‘the military Way that is fundamental to the Japanese spirit’ (412–13). But for all his huffing and puffing, Buy o Inshi lacks clarity here and ultimately offers little more than his hopes and prayers that a ‘loyal vassal’ might arise, endowed with ability and virtue, who will memorialize the ruling shogunal line about these matters and set things aright. Buy o Inshi, then, does not advocate revolution so much as another round of reform, one that will set the realm back on course. In this, he offers his own assistance, mentioning that he knows well ‘the key method for accomplishing this great task’, even though he remains silent about it because it ‘bears on the great secrets of the realm and state’ (432–33). The translation teamhas done an extraordinary job of renderingBuy o Inshi’s lengthy text in an eminently readable and impressively consistent manner. One term that might have been more consistently rendered is ninj o, commonly translated as ‘human feelings’ or ‘human passions’. In Lust, Commerce, and Corruption, ninj o appears sometimes as ‘mental disposition’, sometimes as ‘disposition’, and then more typically throughout the text as ‘human feelings’. Given the centrality of this term in Buy o Inshi’s text, Tokugawa discourse, and indeed through Japanese history, consistent use of ‘human feelings’ would probably have been a better option. That minor point aside, this book will undoubtedly be instantly recognized as a classic read for students of Tokugawa Japan. Given the overall quality of the volume, it will surely retain that standing for some time to come.
Japanese foreign policymakers before the early 1930s are described typically as Western-oriented ... more Japanese foreign policymakers before the early 1930s are described typically as Western-oriented pragmatists who were resistant to Pan-Asianist doctrines. This essay presents the case of Uchida Yasuya, Japan's foreign minister in parts of the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s who was also a Pan-Asianist in his early career. Uchida's case illustrates how Pan-Asianist beliefs were easily reoriented to support the new policy goal of a Japanese mainland empire following the Russo-Japanese War. Because he was foreign minister during the Manchurian Incident, Uchida's views also shed light on the question of when Pan-Asianism began to meaningfully impact foreign policy in the 1930s.
This essay considers the question of whether the Great War was a turning point in Japanese foreig... more This essay considers the question of whether the Great War was a turning point in Japanese foreign affairs by examining the policies of post-World War I (WWI) Foreign Minister Uchida Yasuya (1865-1936) in relation to his work as minister earlier in the decade. Uchida had a long career in the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It must be noted that Japanese foreign policy did undergo a shift at the conclusion of the Great War. Moving along with the trends of the times, Japan reluctantly abandoned its favored bilateral alliances, most notably the Anglo- Japanese Alliance, in favor of the collective security provided by the League of Nations and the multi-lateral agreements of the Washington Conference. It argues that this shift, while not unimportant, was rooted in an earlier policy of cooperation with the powers that had been a guiding principle of Japanese diplomacy since the early Meiji era. Keywords: Japanese foreign affairs; Uchida Yasuya; world war I (WWI)
This article examines the enduring significance of the “Manchurian Problem” to pre-Second World W... more This article examines the enduring significance of the “Manchurian Problem” to pre-Second World War Japanese foreign policy and shows how the 1931 Manchurian incident and the creation of Manchukuo in 1932 came to be regarded by many in the Japanese government as the solution to this three-decade long problem. The focus of the analysis is the career of five-time foreign minister, Uchida Yasuya (1865–1936), who not only influenced policy from his positions as a diplomat in the field but also formulated Japan's Manchuria policy as foreign minister in parts of three successive decades. Uchida and many moderates like him voluntarily supported Army plans on the continent, suggesting that, in contrast to the conventional understanding that the founding of Manchukuo marked the beginning of Japanese expansionism and militarism, the events of the early 1930s represented the culmination of over three decades of Japanese efforts at solving the Manchurian problem.
UMI, ProQuest ® Dissertations & Theses. The world's most comprehensive collection of dis... more UMI, ProQuest ® Dissertations & Theses. The world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses. Learn more... ProQuest, Defending the empire: Uchida Yasuya and Japanese foreign policy, 1865--1936. by Gates ...
Japanese foreign policymakers before the early 1930s are described typically as Western-oriented ... more Japanese foreign policymakers before the early 1930s are described typically as Western-oriented pragmatists who were resistant to Pan-Asianist doctrines. This essay presents the case of Uchida Yasuya, Japan's foreign minister in parts of the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s who was also a Pan-Asianist in his early career. Uchida's case illustrates how Pan-Asianist beliefs were easily reoriented to support the new policy goal of a Japanese mainland empire following the Russo-Japanese War. Because he was foreign minister during the Manchurian Incident, Uchida's views also shed light on the question of when Pan-Asianism began to meaningfully impact foreign policy in the 1930s.
1914-1918-Online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, 2019
This article discusses Japan’s war aims during the First World War, as well as the different poli... more This article discusses Japan’s war aims during the First World War, as well as the different policy approaches Japanese leaders employed to achieve those aims. It explores Japan’s entrance into the war on the side of its ally Britain, its military actions against German possessions in the Asia-Pacific, and the fulfillment of its war aims, which included securing and expanding imperial interests in China and taking its place as a world power.
The American government incarcerated Japanese Americans, including those with American citizenshi... more The American government incarcerated Japanese Americans, including those with American citizenship, in concentration camps not long after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. “Loyal” incarcerees were allowed to “resettle” in areas away from the West Coast provided they had employment opportunities. The Midwest was a popular destination, as Japanese Americans encountered, in general, greater kindness and hospitality than they had experienced in the West. Peoria was one such destination that welcomed Japanese Americans into the community, offered employment opportunities, and provided educational resources for college age resettlers at Bradley University.
This essay considers the question of whether the Great War was a turning point in Japanese foreig... more This essay considers the question of whether the Great War was a turning point in Japanese foreign affairs by examining the policies of post-World War I (WWI) Foreign Minister Uchida Yasuya (1865-1936) in relation to his work as minister earlier in the decade. Uchida had a long career in the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It must be noted that Japanese foreign policy did undergo a shift at the conclusion of the Great War. Moving along with the trends of the times, Japan reluctantly abandoned its favored bilateral alliances, most notably the Anglo- Japanese Alliance, in favor of the collective security provided by the League of Nations and the multi-lateral agreements of the Washington Conference. It argues that this shift, while not unimportant, was rooted in an earlier policy of cooperation with the powers that had been a guiding principle of Japanese diplomacy since the early Meiji era. Keywords: Japanese foreign affairs; Uchida Yasuya; world war I (WWI)
by rulers. When the latter become distorted, so do the forces of nature, which in turn bring abou... more by rulers. When the latter become distorted, so do the forces of nature, which in turn bring about ‘various heavenly and earthly disasters’ (422–23). The final pages of Buy o Inshi’s text present its distinctive, quasi-revolutionary message: act in Heaven’s place before Heaven does. Buy o recognizes that Heaven invariably punishes evil, but it does so only after evil is grossly manifest, exercising perhaps too much patience before then bringing about too much of a massive reordering. Rather than wait for ‘Heaven’s punishment’, Buy o Inshi proactively suggests another approach, one in which he and others of like mind serve as the vanguard of ‘the Way of Heaven’ and ‘the Way of the buddhas’. He flatly dismisses as ineffective reliance on buddhas and kami, declaring instead, ‘only man can govern man’ (411). He equally rejects weakwilled, deferential versions of Confucianism, even while affirming a strong version of ‘benevolent government’ – a notion as quintessentially Confucian as any could possibly be – to be realized through ‘the military Way that is fundamental to the Japanese spirit’ (412–13). But for all his huffing and puffing, Buy o Inshi lacks clarity here and ultimately offers little more than his hopes and prayers that a ‘loyal vassal’ might arise, endowed with ability and virtue, who will memorialize the ruling shogunal line about these matters and set things aright. Buy o Inshi, then, does not advocate revolution so much as another round of reform, one that will set the realm back on course. In this, he offers his own assistance, mentioning that he knows well ‘the key method for accomplishing this great task’, even though he remains silent about it because it ‘bears on the great secrets of the realm and state’ (432–33). The translation teamhas done an extraordinary job of renderingBuy o Inshi’s lengthy text in an eminently readable and impressively consistent manner. One term that might have been more consistently rendered is ninj o, commonly translated as ‘human feelings’ or ‘human passions’. In Lust, Commerce, and Corruption, ninj o appears sometimes as ‘mental disposition’, sometimes as ‘disposition’, and then more typically throughout the text as ‘human feelings’. Given the centrality of this term in Buy o Inshi’s text, Tokugawa discourse, and indeed through Japanese history, consistent use of ‘human feelings’ would probably have been a better option. That minor point aside, this book will undoubtedly be instantly recognized as a classic read for students of Tokugawa Japan. Given the overall quality of the volume, it will surely retain that standing for some time to come.
Japanese foreign policymakers before the early 1930s are described typically as Western-oriented ... more Japanese foreign policymakers before the early 1930s are described typically as Western-oriented pragmatists who were resistant to Pan-Asianist doctrines. This essay presents the case of Uchida Yasuya, Japan's foreign minister in parts of the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s who was also a Pan-Asianist in his early career. Uchida's case illustrates how Pan-Asianist beliefs were easily reoriented to support the new policy goal of a Japanese mainland empire following the Russo-Japanese War. Because he was foreign minister during the Manchurian Incident, Uchida's views also shed light on the question of when Pan-Asianism began to meaningfully impact foreign policy in the 1930s.
This essay considers the question of whether the Great War was a turning point in Japanese foreig... more This essay considers the question of whether the Great War was a turning point in Japanese foreign affairs by examining the policies of post-World War I (WWI) Foreign Minister Uchida Yasuya (1865-1936) in relation to his work as minister earlier in the decade. Uchida had a long career in the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It must be noted that Japanese foreign policy did undergo a shift at the conclusion of the Great War. Moving along with the trends of the times, Japan reluctantly abandoned its favored bilateral alliances, most notably the Anglo- Japanese Alliance, in favor of the collective security provided by the League of Nations and the multi-lateral agreements of the Washington Conference. It argues that this shift, while not unimportant, was rooted in an earlier policy of cooperation with the powers that had been a guiding principle of Japanese diplomacy since the early Meiji era. Keywords: Japanese foreign affairs; Uchida Yasuya; world war I (WWI)
This article examines the enduring significance of the “Manchurian Problem” to pre-Second World W... more This article examines the enduring significance of the “Manchurian Problem” to pre-Second World War Japanese foreign policy and shows how the 1931 Manchurian incident and the creation of Manchukuo in 1932 came to be regarded by many in the Japanese government as the solution to this three-decade long problem. The focus of the analysis is the career of five-time foreign minister, Uchida Yasuya (1865–1936), who not only influenced policy from his positions as a diplomat in the field but also formulated Japan's Manchuria policy as foreign minister in parts of three successive decades. Uchida and many moderates like him voluntarily supported Army plans on the continent, suggesting that, in contrast to the conventional understanding that the founding of Manchukuo marked the beginning of Japanese expansionism and militarism, the events of the early 1930s represented the culmination of over three decades of Japanese efforts at solving the Manchurian problem.
UMI, ProQuest ® Dissertations & Theses. The world's most comprehensive collection of dis... more UMI, ProQuest ® Dissertations & Theses. The world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses. Learn more... ProQuest, Defending the empire: Uchida Yasuya and Japanese foreign policy, 1865--1936. by Gates ...
Japanese foreign policymakers before the early 1930s are described typically as Western-oriented ... more Japanese foreign policymakers before the early 1930s are described typically as Western-oriented pragmatists who were resistant to Pan-Asianist doctrines. This essay presents the case of Uchida Yasuya, Japan's foreign minister in parts of the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s who was also a Pan-Asianist in his early career. Uchida's case illustrates how Pan-Asianist beliefs were easily reoriented to support the new policy goal of a Japanese mainland empire following the Russo-Japanese War. Because he was foreign minister during the Manchurian Incident, Uchida's views also shed light on the question of when Pan-Asianism began to meaningfully impact foreign policy in the 1930s.
1914-1918-Online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, 2019
This article discusses Japan’s war aims during the First World War, as well as the different poli... more This article discusses Japan’s war aims during the First World War, as well as the different policy approaches Japanese leaders employed to achieve those aims. It explores Japan’s entrance into the war on the side of its ally Britain, its military actions against German possessions in the Asia-Pacific, and the fulfillment of its war aims, which included securing and expanding imperial interests in China and taking its place as a world power.
The American government incarcerated Japanese Americans, including those with American citizenshi... more The American government incarcerated Japanese Americans, including those with American citizenship, in concentration camps not long after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. “Loyal” incarcerees were allowed to “resettle” in areas away from the West Coast provided they had employment opportunities. The Midwest was a popular destination, as Japanese Americans encountered, in general, greater kindness and hospitality than they had experienced in the West. Peoria was one such destination that welcomed Japanese Americans into the community, offered employment opportunities, and provided educational resources for college age resettlers at Bradley University.
Review of Yukiko Koshiro, Imperial Eclipse: Japan’s Strategic Thinking about Continental Asia bef... more Review of Yukiko Koshiro, Imperial Eclipse: Japan’s Strategic Thinking about Continental Asia before August 1945, and Sheila A. Smith, Intimate Rivals: Japanese Domestic Politics and a Rising China
Chapter in The Decade of the Great War: Japan and the Wider World in the 1910s. Edited by Tze-ki ... more Chapter in The Decade of the Great War: Japan and the Wider World in the 1910s. Edited by Tze-ki Hon, et al. Leiden: Brill, 2014, 64–82.
UMI, ProQuest ® Dissertations & Theses. The world's most comprehensive collection of dis... more UMI, ProQuest ® Dissertations & Theses. The world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses. Learn more... ProQuest, Defending the empire: Uchida Yasuya and Japanese foreign policy, 1865--1936. by Gates ...
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