Paper short abstract:

The Taiwan Expedition (1874) was a turning point in mediating what Ravina has characterized as "samurai populism". Building on Eskildsen (2019) this paper further examines the domestic coverage while also exploring a comparison with British coverage of the First Ashanti Expedition (1874).

Paper long abstract:

The Taiwan Expedition of 1874 was Japan's first military foray outside of Japan since the formal opening of the country in 1854 and the subsequent signing of the 'unequal treaties' in 1858. It had enormous significance in terms of enabling Japan to stake a claim to being a 'serious player' in international relations and diplomacy in East Asia, although it certainly was not viewed warmly as such by representatives of the Powers in Japan at the time. It was also a turning point in terms of mediating what Ravina has characterized as "samurai populism", a force that had fed earlier calls for an invasion of Korea and now found a fresh avenue of expression with the ostensible encouragement of Okubo Toshimichi.

Building on the recent research of Eskildsen (2019) this paper further examines the domestic coverage of the expedition in both illustrated and textual media to consider how nascent mass circulation publications shaped public perceptions of the samurai dimension of the expedition. Some attention is also given to analyzing how the government sought to give vent to populism while simultaneously engaging in 'damage control' with the local diplomatic corps and pursuing more conventional diplomatic objectives - the punishment of Paiwan tribesmen for the 1871 murder of 54 Ryūkyū sailors and the pursuit of reparations from China.

Finally the paper also explores an avenue of comparison with a similar episode that occurred at almost the same time - the First Ashanti Expedition undertaken by the Imperial British Army in 1874. Attention is particularly given to British media coverage as presented through contemporary newspapers such as the Illustrated London News. While acknowledging that the particular circumstances of each expedition would naturally diverge, it is argued that a meaningful comparison can be made in terms of highlighting points of intersection and divergence with regard to narrative, rationale and domestic impact.

Paper short abstract:

This paper explores a brief history of doll diplomacy as a unique way of cultural exchanges between Japan and the US (e.g., children's doll exchanges through the Junior Red Cross) and after that focuses on the 1935 Goodwill Mission of American Dolls as an example of involvement of politicians.

Paper long abstract:

Doll diplomacy as a unique way of international cultural exchanges emerged in the first half of the 20th century. The US and Japan were the most active participants and many dolls were sent by the two countries to each other with the aim to improve mutual understanding and to deepen sympathetic feelings of the citizens of the two countries. This paper focuses on the interwar years (1919-1938) as the period when the US-Japan's doll exchanges were conducted most actively.

Firstly, the paper introduces a brief history of doll exchanges between the two countries in 1920s - e.g., Christmas presents exchanges between Sunday School, the Junior Red Cross activities and the 1927 US-Japan Friendship Doll Exchange - the period when children played an active role in doll diplomacy and the desired outcome of exchanges was educational rather than political.

Secondly, the paper explores doll diplomacy in the 1930s, when adults became active participants of doll exchanges and the political outcome became more important than educational values of exchanges. Special attention will be paid to the 1935 Goodwill Mission of American Dolls as a good example of involvement of politicians and officials of the two countries.

Paper short abstract:

This paper presents a preliminary examination of Japan's presence in South America and south Pacific and the actions taken by Japanese authorities to obtain Chilean minerals (mainly copper) and gain territorial control of Rapa Nui in the 1930s.

Paper long abstract:

This paper examines Japan's presence in South America and the Pacific and the actions taken by Japanese authorities to secure Chilean minerals (mainly copper) and gain territorial control of Rapa Nui in the 1930s. As the war in Asia fully unfolded, the Japanese authorities strengthened their connections and interest for the much needed minerals. Through Mitsubishi (and other minor trade companies) and the diplomatic body stationed in Santiago, Japan began a relentless quest to increase their intake of Chilean copper and other minerals. The problem for achieving such a goal was that about the same time, the U.S. led Pan-American system gained new colours and became a coherent block against external Powers, further complicating Japan options to access natural resources in the region. With this situation as a backdrop, the paper returns to the better known topic of Japan's interest in purchasing Rapa Nui, a distant island in the south east Pacific, and reframes it as part of a trans-regional story played at the fringes of two empires, Japan in Asia and the Pacific, and the U.S. in Latin America. The repositories consulted so far included Chile's diplomatic archives and a few sections of Japan's Foreign Affairs historical archives. The relevance of this study is to bridge two fields that have been studied separately: i.e. Japan's military quest in Asia and Japanese presence in South America; and thus, presents a fresh perspective to the global history of the empire of Japan.