Rethinking Modern Japanese History

Abstract

Despite the progress in historical studies, it seems to be difficult for many Japanese academic researchers to present a comprehensive and broad perspective on the history of modern Japan. This is due not only to the characteristics of recent Japanese historical works, which tend to focus on specific themes and detailed analysis, but also to the many documents, references, and sources that are necessary for describing modern Japan in the broader historical context-even if it spotlights one particular aspect, such as politics, economy or society. These problems probably explain the reason why so many Japanese academics have given up writing a comprehensive survey of modern Japanese history. One particular example of a recent comprehensive survey of Japanese history is Amino Yoshihiko's Nihon Shakai no Rekishi (1997). Amino, who was one of the most influential historians in postwar Japan, wrote a concise yet extensive three-volume work on Japanese history. Amino begins his description in ancient Japan and provides only a brief narrative of the period from the foundation of the Tokugawa government to the present owing to limitations (as he admits in the final chapter of his book) as a specialist of mediaeval Japan. In order to solve this problem, Japanese academics often choose to collaborate with other academics to present a broader view of Japanese history. These kinds of comprehensive historical works thus contribute diverse views on the history of Japan. However, in many cases, these collaborations are also somewhat inconsistent with regard to narrative and description, despite the efforts of their academic editors. Sometimes, their view of modern Japanese history seems to be a fragmented collection of various knowledge and experiences on modern Japan. In contrast to the current situation in the Japanese academic world, several non-Japanese academics, who are all specialists in Japanese history, have recently taken up the challenge of describing the history of modern Japan in their own terms. The result is a broader and more long-term view of modern Japanese history than that which Japanese academics have presented. These comprehensive works signify the development and maturity of Japanese studies in foreign countries. Marius B. Jansen,