Published on August 29, 2019.
This article continues a serialized dialogue between Ishihara Shintaro and Kamei Shizuka published in the monthly magazine WiLL.
It discusses the Japanese culture that flourished during the Edo period, the influence of ukiyo-e on European Impressionism, the Christian ban that protected Japan from colonization, the insight of Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu, and Japan’s uniqueness in breaking the global principle of white domination over colored peoples.
It also addresses the danger of Russia, the Northern Territories issue, and the view that Japan has been poisoned by the strange progressivism called globalization.

August 29, 2019.
Look at the Edo period.
It was in that age that Japanese culture, worthy of pride before the world, developed.
Japan has been poisoned by the strange progressivism called “globalization.”
The following is the continuation of the previous chapter.
The preface is omitted.
＊Those with keen eyes who read this dialogue feature must have burst out laughing here and there.＊
Look at the Edo period.
It was in that age that Japanese culture, worthy of pride before the world, developed.
Japan has been poisoned by the strange progressivism called “globalization.”
Ishihara.
“National seclusion” is again quite extreme, but the maturity of culture in the Edo period was astonishing.
Kamei.
Yes, a culture that crowned the world bloomed in full glory.
Ishihara.
As proof of that, Japanese ukiyo-e had a major influence even on European Impressionist painting.
Kamei.
It was a peaceful country that did not wage war with foreign countries.
Kyōji Watanabe’s The Shadows of a Past Age from Heibonsha also introduces the fact that foreigners who came to Japan in the Edo period all raised voices of astonishment at its beauty and uniqueness.
Ishihara.
It was fortunate that the one who came at the end of the Tokugawa period was Perry of the United States.
If it had been the British, Japan would probably have been torn to pieces and colonized.
Kamei.
In that sense, we should also praise the heroes of the Warring States period.
They saved Japan by imposing the ban on Christianity.
The missionaries of that time were something like the vanguard of colonial rule.
They conveyed the teachings of the Bible, brainwashed people, and after that proceeded with concrete rule.
It was an extremely skillful method.
However, Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu at that time saw through such intentions and suppressed the Christians.
Many Japanese also became victims, but viewed overall, I think that decision was correct.
Ishihara.
Nobunaga is often depicted in Frois’s History of Japan, and he does seem to have been a genius after all.
He grasped instantly that the earth was round.
Kamei.
He was full of a progressive spirit.
Ishihara.
It was also Nobunaga who noticed the effectiveness of matchlock guns earlier than any other warlord.
Frois wrote that he was astonished, but Japan was producing guns of far superior quality and in far greater quantities than any European country of that time.
From that time onward, the Japanese were excellent at skillfully absorbing civilization and applying creativity and ingenuity to it.
Kamei.
Hiraga Gennai in the Edo period also made electricity with what was called the elekiter.
Ishihara.
White domination over colored peoples was the principle of world history after the Middle Ages.
The only country that broke that principle as an exception was Japan.
Korea’s rule also lay on that extension.
Since there was also the possibility that Korea would come under Russian rule, what Japan did is not something that should be criticized so much.
Kamei.
When Japan looked as if it was going to lose the war, Russia unilaterally broke the treaty and invaded Hokkaido on its own.
It killed fifty to sixty thousand Japanese people and made the rest work in Siberia.
Ishihara.
German prisoners, not only Japanese people, were in the same situation.
They invaded Russia and were defeated, but the German soldiers who became prisoners were all sent to Siberia.
Kamei.
Russia is an ethnically dangerous country.
Regarding the Northern Territories, they will first try to lure Japan with sweet words, but Japan must absolutely not be taken in.
They will have Japan develop the Northern Territories with Japanese money, and in the end they will not return them.
Russia’s scheme is perfectly clear.
Ishihara.
Joint development is fine, but all Russians who have moved there should be made Japanese nationals.
Kamei.
Weak Japanese people would quickly be made slaves.
Ishihara.
The state only has to manage it.
Kamei.
Shinzo is facing frightening countries.
After all, Japan should return to the Edo period and adopt national seclusion.
This article continues.