[1] - Why Study the History of Japanese-German Relations?

Summary

OVER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS have passed since 1992, when two of my books on the history of Japanese-German business relations were published. Here, I would like consider the significance of the history of Japanese-German relations, and why the subject should be studied.

First, I would like to pose six propositions, which I have derived from a number of practical examples in the history of Japanese-German relations, about comparison and studying a relationship as two methods of revealing the actual historical circumstances:

• 1. Knowledge of an object is based upon conscious and unconscious comparisons with other things.

• 2. Attempting conscious comparisons is important, and in such cases, one must be aware of the method one is using.

• 3. There is a tendency for comparisons to become arbitrary, because either the method of comparison, or the basis for making it, is vague, or because a conception of how things should be is at work.

• 4. Making a comparison while also addressing the relationship between two things is one method of eliminating arbitrariness from the comparison.

• 5. It is important to attempt to clarify the relationship, because things, which could not be seen in the comparison alone can become apparent by doing so.

• 6. One must proceed from knowledge of the relationship, to knowledge of the whole, including the relationship.

The six propositions above have occurred to me in the course of dealing with various issues in the history of Japanese-German relations. While I consider them to be self-evident, that may not be the case to others. Thus, as an illustrative example, I should like to demonstrate proposition (5) by citing some instances from the early post-war history of Japanese-German economic relations. It might be considered that the pre-war period would be more appropriate for my purposes, however, today, I am going to choose the early post-war period, when relations between certainly Japan and Germany continued to be tenuous, because, in my view, relations at this time have yet to attract much attention, while comparisons between the two nations have been frequently made.

‘SOCIALIZATION’ AND ARISAWA HIROMI

Japan and Germany fought the Second World War as allies, were defeated and occupied, and under occupation both nations experienced reform – occupation reforms – across all facets of their politics, economies and societies.