福沢諭吉のアジア認識 ‒『脱亜論』を中心に‒

Abstract

Yukichi Fukuzawa is widely known because he is understood as the “famous educator” and “the builder of the modern Japanese civilization”. In his extensive writings, the main part is a remark dealing with current affairs. Therefore, in this paper, I consider the political situation at that time, and his attitude and interest in which focusing on Datsu-a Ron. Datsu-a Ron refers to the editorial published by Yukichi Fukuzawa on March 16, 1885 in the daily newspaper Jiji shinpo. Centered on this editorial, the background of the Meiji Restoration at that time is clear, and Japan is defined as an absolute state after the Meiji Restoration. Since Meiji, it is not necessary to say that Japan’s basic political, economic and diplomatic posture was a one-sided depart from Asia to Europe. It was in 1885 that Fukuzawa announced that he would grasp the basic posture of the Japanese with the exact word ‘Datsu-a’(leaving Asia) and decide the direction to follow. In a sense, he may be the decision-maker of the national policy strategy in the Meiji period. Moreover, based on a series of Asian theories published around 1885 in the Jiji shinpo editorial, the five consistent opinions of Yukichi Fukuzawa were clarified.They are “leaving Asia”, “the fall of the Qing Dynasty”, “denial of dependence simultaneously” “danger triggered by the backwardness of neighboring countries” and “dividing Asia”. Under this recognition of Asia, Yukichi Fukuzawa led the way to war and struggled to fight and win.