Modern Japan and the Modernization of China

Author: [Japanese] Iida Yosuke, edited by Bian Liqiang, translated by Chen Shengbao, Ren Qingyu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
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 be used as a teaching material and also serves as a reference for those working in Japanese affairs." The second volume, Studies on Japanese Imperialism, focuses on exposing Japan's prewar imperialist aggression against Northeast and North China from an economic perspective. Its distinctive feature lies in the extensive use of materials, statistics, and charts, almost all of which are from the Japanese ruling class. By skillfully highlighting key points, it vividly portrays the sinister and cruel intentions and brutal faces of the aggressors, thereby reversing 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 itself on the basis of brutal aggression and plunder against China and Korea, while simultaneously perishing in the resistance of the people of China, Korea, and Asia, including the Japanese people. The third volume also features The Modernization of Japan—A Comparative Study with China and the fourth volume, A Comparative Study of the Modernization of China and Japan, 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 a popular overview of the main content of the latter. Both compare the "differences" and "similarities" in the backgrounds of modernization in China and Japan from various aspects such as politics, economy, and culture, with a particular emphasis on 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, includes single-authored papers published 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 Japan's prewar colonial policies and military authoritarianism. In the article Postwar Textbook Issues, it exposes the deeply rooted reactionary Imperialist historiography among the Ministry of Education officials responsible for reviewing textbooks. This demonstrates that Japan's textbook problems persist repeatedly, and the Japanese authorities bear an undeniable responsibility. These five volumes of the collection include Professor Iida's academic works and papers 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 impetus for the study of Japanese history in China. Through the collection, readers can understand the history of Japan's social development and the similarities and differences between China and Japan, recognize the aggressive nature of Japanese militarism, and thereby deepen their understanding of the principle of "learning from history and looking toward the future" in China-Japan relations.