Greetings,
"The Council on East Asian Community (CEAC) E-Letter" is delivered electronically bimonthly, free of charge, to readers in the world interested in Japanese thinking on an East Asian Community and other related international affairs by the Council on East Asian Community (CEAC), all-Japan intellectual platform for the study of an East Asian Community.
It will provide the global audience with our news on "CEAC Commentary" and "CEAC Updates."
If you wish to unsubscribe, please enter your email address in the "unsubscribe" box at the following link:
http://www.ceac.jp/e/e-letter/unsubscribe.html
ITO Kenichi
President, CEAC
"CEAC Commentary"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"CEAC Commentary"presents views of members of CEAC on an East Asian Community and other related international affairs. The view expressed herein is the author's own and should not be attributed to CEAC.
----------------- - - - -----------------
An East Asian Community and Advocates of "Koa-ron"
By YAMASHITA Eiji
Professor of Osaka City University
After Japan defeated Russia in Japanese-Russo War in the early 20th century,leaders of independence movements of almost all countries of Asia came in a stream to Japan. And it was advocates of "Koa-ron (Stay-with-Asia doctrine)" such as TOHYAMA Mitsuru, OHKAWA Shumei and UCHIDA Ryohei, who gave them very warm reception and hospitality in Japan. Because these advocates of "Koa-ron" in those days championed the cause of liberating Asian countries from the colonial rules of major Western powers.
In November 2008, TSUBOUCHI Takahiko's "Stories of Heroes in Asia; 25 Asian Patriots Japanese Should Know (Ajia Eiyu-den; Nihonjin Nara Shitte Okitai 25nin No Shishitachi)" (Publisher: Tenden-sha) was published which is a dynamic portrayal of the strong ties of Japanese advocates of "Koa-ron" and Asian leaders of independence movements. This book is full of stirring episodes between Japanese advocates of "Koa-ron" and leaders of independence movements from China, Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, India, Pakistan, SriLanka and Turkey. Among 25 Asian Patriots, there are SUN Yat-sen, Aung San, Sukarno, Suharuto, Plaek Pibulsongkram and Mahathir who eventually became the top leaders of their respective countries.
In today's Japan, there are those who descended from this school of "Koa-ron." But most of them, for some reason, take hostile views against the current tide of an East Asian community building. Basically, this hostility comes from Japan's sense of distrust of today's China. In other words, they cannot accept the process of community building so far as they think it is an enterprise directed by China. Strangely enough, these descendents of "Koa-ron" are no different from those in the main stream of Japan' politics, who cannot take confidence in their own country.
On the other hand, these descendents of "Koa-ron" are of one mind in considering that Japan is not yet an independent country in its true sense, and therefore must call for independence. I could not disagree with them in this regard. Needless to say, today's Japan should be independent from the United States. But Japan could never achieve this if Japan keeps its back on Asia, especially on China. I believe these descendents of "Koa-ron" and those who advocate Asian integration should be united to become a driving force for an East Asian Community building.
(This is the English translation of an article which originally appeared on the BBS "Hyakka-Somei" of CEAC on 27 June, 2009, and was posted on "CEAC Commentary" on 31 August, 2009.)
----------------- - - - -----------------
For more views and opinions in the backnumber of "CEAC Commentary," the latest of which are as follows, please refer to:
http://www.ceac.jp/e/commentary/backnumber.html
No.57 Some Reflections on Aborted Summit in Pattaya
by ISHIGAKI Yasuji, Delegate for Japan to AALCO and former Professor of Tokai University
(26 June, 2009)
No.56 China Makes a Step forward towards a RMB Currency Area
by MURASE Tetsuji, Professor of Ryukoku University
(22 April, 2009)
No.55 G-20 and APEC Go in Tandem; an Expected Synergy
by YAMAZAWA Ippei, Professor Emeritus of Hitotsubashi University
(24 February, 2009)
No.54 On the Regional Cooperation in Trade and Investment in East Asia
by MURAKAMI Masayasu, Executive Vice President of the Council on East Asian Community
(26 January, 2009)
No.53 The Third Crisis Accelerates the Integration of Asia
by YAMASHITA Eiji, Professor of Osaka City University
(15 December, 2009)
"CEAC Updates"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"CEAC Updates" introduces to you latest events, announcements and/or publications of CEAC.
Event
------------- - - - -------------
The 7th Annual Conference and the 11th Country Coordinators Meeting of Network of East Asia Think-tanks (NEAT) Held
The Network of East Asian Think- tanks (NEAT) held its 7th Annual Conference (AC) and 11th Country Coordinators Meeting (CCM) in Seoul, Korea from August 30 to September 1, 2009. The host was the Korean Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (KISEAS) and 37 specialists and experts representing different think tanks in the ASEAN+3 nations participated.
As for Japan, 7 participated, who were ITO Kenichi, President of the Council on East Asian Community (CEAC) and President & CEO of Japan Forum on International Relations (JFIR), HIRONO Ryokichi, Vice President of CEAC and Professor Emeritus of Seikei University, KAWAI Masahiro, Member of CEAC and Dean of the Asian Development Bank Institute, KONISHI Masaki, Executive Vice President of CEAC and Acting Executive Director of JFIR, OHGA Keiji, Member of CEAC and Professor of Nihon University, SHINDO Eiichi, Vice President of CEAC and Professor Emeritus of Tsukuba University, YANO Takuya, Executive Secretary of CEAC and Senior Research Fellow of JFIR.
For more, please refer to:
http://www.ceac.jp/e/neat.html
Please send your comments and/or questions to:
info@ceac.jp
To customize your subscription, or unsubscribe, please refer to:
http://www.ceac.jp/e/e-letter/e-letter.htm
Officer in Charge: KIKUCHI Yona
The Council on East Asian Community
2-17-12-1301, Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0052
JAPAN
Tel: +81-3-3584-2193
Fax: +81-3-3505-4406