TOPIC: RELATIONS OF JAPAN AND INDOCHINA AT THE BEGINNING OF
THE 20TH CENTURY
In my
doctoral thesis, I would like to research relations of Japan towards Indochina
at the beginning of the 20th century, i. e. the development of Japan
- Indochina relations on the background off the Japanese foreign policy in the
first decade of the 20th century.
I have
chosen this topic because I graduated in Japanese studies at Charles University
in Prague, and now I am a student of Vietnamese studies at the same university.
Therefore, I have become interested in the history of relations between Japan
and Vietnam. The beginning of the 20th century is the period when
Japan was searching for her place among world powers, and when the Vietnamese
nation was struggling for independence and liberation of its country from
French supremacy. These two circumstances are reflected in the relations of
both countries that, at the same time, give evidence about the whole situation
- about positions of Western powers and thheir colonies – in East Asia in this
period. However, French Indochina was geographically more distant from Japan
than her neighbours Korea and China. Japan was making effort to re-enter into
relations and develop them even with this country after the Meiji Revolution
(1868).
Naturally, a
starting point of Japan-Indochina relations was still strong and stronger
position of Japan in the Far East at the end of the 19th century. At
this time, Japan has virtually become the only Asian country that was not
suffering under European or American yoke. Although Japanese had been forced to
sign unequal agreements as well as the other nations, and let white foreigners
enter the soil of their ancestors, they had immediately begun to bustle about
their rights and freedom to decide the fate of their country. That is why they
started studying western sciences to reach a comparable level to occidental
powers. The victory in the Sino-Japanese was (1894 – 1895) was one of
indicators of Japanese success, and first time in the history made the world
pay attention to a nation of Asian race. This new standing made Japan a
potential rival to England, France, Russia, Germany and the U. S. A. in the
fight for colonies of Far East. On the other hand, Japan became an example and
a hope to subjugated Asian nations. Japan took a role of a teacher of Asian
nations and expanded her influence setting up schools and sending out
instructors to Korea, China and other countries. At the same time, a lot of
Asian students were arriving to study in Japan.
Among
foreign students in Japan, there were a few hundreds of Vietnamese. The French
colonial government did not support their thirst for modern knowledge and
education, on the contrary it wished to prevent Vietnamese from travelling
abroad. But simultaneously, it endeavoured to keep good relations with Japan by
an agreement in order not to debilitate its position in South East Asia. Japan
herself did not pose an immediate threat to France, but her alliance with a
naval power England (1902) induce France to more sensible approach. These two
opposing viewpoints are one of the principal characteristics of Japan – French,
respectively Japan – Indochina relations.
In this
period, the Japanese government concentrated its foreign policies on the
safeguarding and the security of the country, i. e. on gaining control over the
nearest surroundings of Japanese islands. In some cases, it had used army
forces for that purpose (Taiwan, Korea). Nevertheless, at the beginning of the
century it had neither capability, nor intention to offer a military help to
the Vietnamese nation. Therefore, contacts of Japanese with people of
Vietnamese nationality were limited to Vietnamese students at Japanese schools
and to their financial support (the Ðông Du movement).
The research
of Japan – Indochina studies offers several interesting views of this problem:
A. attitude of Japan – 1 attitude of Japanese government, 2 unofficial
attitude, B. attitude of Indochina – 1 attitude of French colonial government,
2 attitude of Vietnamese nation. Further, I find interesting to determine
causes of the behaviour of individual sides, to explain the role of Indochina
and the movement of Vietnamese people in foreign, but also internal policy of
Japan, and the role of both mentioned countries in events in East Asia,
primarily in the relation to Russia, England, Germany and the U. S. A.
I suppose I have as a graduate of Japanese studies and a student of Vietnamese studies an adequate grasp of problems of both countries, and, of course, a positive relation to their study. During my 7month language stay in Hanoi, I gained a part of sources for this topic – especially works representing an assessment of the situation by French colonial authorities, further works written by the chief personality of the movement of Vietnamese people – Phan Bôi Châu – and a paper of Japanese author Masaya Shiraishi on the problems of relations between the movement of Vietnamese people and Japan.
During my study stay, I took advantage of meeting with Prof. Dr. Chuong Thâu who is a Vietnamese specialist on the Phan Bôi Châu’s personality and on Vietnam-Japan relations in the period when this patriot was active. Prof. Dr. Chuong Thâu who apart from other things checked the accuracy of the translation of Shiraishi’s book to Vietnamese, promised to help me in my possible doctoral studies. In the question of Japan, I can address to David Labus, PhD, (Charles University, Philosophical Faculty, Institute of East Asian Studies – Centre for Japanese Studies) who has been researching Japanese history in the Meiji Period. As for an overall view on the situation of Japan within the world great powers in Asia, I can ask for a tutorial Prof. PhD. Aleš Skøivan, CSc. (Charles University, Philosophical Faculty, Institute of General History) who is an author of books on the rise and fall of Japanese empire from the Meiji period until the end of the World War II.
If possible, I would like to go on a research fellowship that would help me to get another study material – in Vietnam, in Japan or France (Ecole de Hautes Etudes de Science Sociales, Osaka Foreign Studies University, etc.).
My idea of the formal treating of the topic is outlined below:
1 Introduction
2 The Position of Japan in the World at the Beginning of the 20th Century
a) Foreign politics (agreements, Sino-Japanese war)
b) Internal politics
c) Economy and education
3 Aspirations of Japanese Foreign Policy
4 Japanese Relations to the Movement of Vietnamese People
a) Ðông Du movement (Phan Bôi Châu) and expectation of Vietnamese
b) Attitude of the Japanese government
c) Attitude of the opposition party (Okuma Shigenobu)
5 Relations between Japan and French Indochina
a) Japan-French Agreement
b) Influence of Russo-Japanese war
c) Japanese threat to Indochina (Kodama’s scandal)
6 Diplomatic Relations of Japan with other Powers with Territorial Interests in Far East
a) Russia (Manchuria)
b) England (China)
c) U. S. A. (Philippines, emigration policy)
d) Germany
e) Their impact on the relation between Japan and Indochina
7 Conclusions