In the era of Itō Hirobumi

Author: Masao Homma
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: This book provides a detailed account of Itō Hirobumi's life journey from being a "deceptive and cunning individual" to a "charismatic diplomat" and ultimately a "smooth and seasoned politician." It depicts Itō Hirobumi and his contemporaries, a group of young men, engaging in the tumultuous Meiji Restoration. They were full of vitality and enthusiasm, embracing Western learning comprehensively, not just in terms of material technology, but also focusing on the "core of Western civilization"—democracy, human rights, and legal thought. Under the principle of "breaking away from Asia and embracing Europe," they actively promoted constitutional reforms domestically while aggressively expanding colonial territories abroad. In this book, Japan's most popular biographer, Masao Homma, places Itō Hirobumi in the whirlwind of the Meiji Restoration era, vividly portraying the "flowering prime minister" as a man who was perceptive, tactful, and had a down-to-earth, somewhat mundane personality. This book greatly helps readers understand the process of Japan's modernization and modernization, deepening their understanding of the different circumstances of modernization in China and Japan.