Modern Japan and China: A Comparative History of Modern Japan and China

Author: [Japanese] Iida Yosuke, edited by Bian Liqiang, translated by Chen Shengbao and Ren Qingyu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: The first volume of this collection includes A Concise History of Japan, which was used as lecture notes by Professor Iida when he taught in China. The late historian Zhou Yiliang provided an accurate and concise evaluation in the Preface, recommending it as a textbook and a reference for Japanese affairs personnel: "This book can serve as a teaching material and is also useful for foreign affairs workers in Japan." The second volume, Studies on Japanese Imperialism, focuses on exposing Japan's pre-WWII imperialist aggression against Northeast and North China from an economic perspective. Its key feature is the extensive use of materials, statistics, and charts, almost all of which are from the Japanese ruling class. Then, with a masterful touch, it subtly highlights the sinister intentions and brutal faces of the aggressors, revealing the immense suffering and brought to the Chinese people. The third volume includes Modern Japan and China, which argues that modern Japanese imperialism grew and strengthened through brutal aggression and plunder of China and Korea, while simultaneously meeting its demise in the resistance of the Chinese, Korean, and Asian people, including the Japanese people. The third volume also features Modernization of Japan—A Comparative Study with China and the fourth volume, A Comparative Study of Modernization between Japan and China, which were newly written by the author during China's "Reform and Opening Up" and comprehensive modernization period. The latter is an academic monograph, while the former provides an accessible overview of its main content. Together, they compare the "differences" and "similarities" in the modernization backgrounds of China and Japan in various aspects such as politics, economy, and culture, particularly emphasizing the differences in cultural types and national characteristics. They not only hold academic value but also have practical significance for China's current modernization. The fifth volume, Historical Issues of Modern Japan, collects single-authored papers by the author in recent years, covering major issues in modern Japanese history such as the Meiji Restoration, the Imperial system, the Freedom and People's Rights Movement, and pre-war Japanese colonial policies and military authoritarianism. In the article Postwar Textbook Issues, it reveals the deeply ingrained reactionary Imperialist historiography among the Ministry of Education officials who reviewed textbooks. This demonstrates that Japan's textbook problems persist, and the authorities bear an undeniable responsibility. These five volumes of the collection include the academic works and papers of Professor Iida on Japanese history and Sino-Japanese comparative studies, representing a lifetime of dedication and a natural expression of his friendship toward China. I believe the publication of this collection will serve as a reference, inspiration, and catalyst for the study of Japanese history in China. Through the collection, readers can understand the history of Japanese social development and the similarities and differences between China and Japan, recognize the aggressive nature of Japanese militarism, and thus deepen their understanding of the principle of "learning from history and looking toward the future" in Sino-Japanese relations.