PAN-ASIANISM AND THE YAMASHITA TREASURE

Randolph Miller

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

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.

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

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

“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

Konoe Atsumaro 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

Tarui Tokichi Believed Japan

and Korea should merge

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

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.”

“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

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.”

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:Manchukuo011.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kiyoshi_Miki.JPG

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://openlibrary.org/search?person_facet=Ferdinand+E.+Marcos+%281917-%29

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKseagraveS.htm

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

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