Pan- Asianism and the Yamashita Treasure

1. Pan-Asianism and the Yamashita Treasure Randolph Miller

2. Background • 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

3. Background • 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.

4. Background • 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

5. Japan gains confidence! • 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

6. “Yellow Peril” • 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 Pan-Asianism movement, even jailing authors of Pan-Asianism writings http://www.jahsonic.com/YellowPeril.html

7. KonoeAtsumaro • Japanese politician • Central figure in Pan-Asian movement • After the First Sino-Japanese War, created the East Asian Common Culture Society, to improve relations between Japan and China http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Konoe_Atsumaro.jpg

8. TaruiTokichi • Believed Japan and Korea should merge

9. Ikki Kita • 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

10. Change in Rhetoric • 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.”

11. “Asian identity” by Kodera Kenkichi, from “Treatise on Greater Asianism” • 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

12. Kodera Kenkichi • Wrote a 1200 page text called Theory of Pan-Asianism • 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.”

13. Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere • "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 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kiyoshi_Miki.JPG http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Manchukuo011.jpg

14. Sterling Seagrave • 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

15. Yamashita’s Gold • 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

16. Tomoyuki Yamashita • General who commanded Japanese forces in the Philippines in 1944 • Hanged in 1946 for war attrocities http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Yamashita.jpg