A Study of the Reception of Abraham Linclon in Modern Japan

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K02880
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Japanese history
• Research Institution: Kansai University
• Principal Investigator: TAO DEMIN 関西大学, 文学部, 教授 (40288791)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: リンカーン / 健全な個人主義 / 民主主義 / 人種差別撤廃 / ジョセフ彦 / 松村介石 / 新渡戸稲造 / 内ヶ崎作三郎

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on the collections preserved at Tokyo Lincoln Center (Meisei University, Machida-shi) and Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library (Springfield, Illinois,U.S.A.), this research examined the major cases of Japanese reception of Abraham Lincoln during the 100 years from 1860s to 1950s. As the conclusion, it points out that Lincoln’s spirit of sound individualism (aspiration, a sense of duty, and personal leadership) and philosophy of open politics (justice, democracy, and elimination of racial discrimination) spread by the writings of Joseph Heco, Matsmura Kaiseki, Nitobe Inazo, Uchigasaki Sakusaburo, Takagi Yasaka, Kagawa Toyohiko,Sawada Ken, Tsujita Usao, and the government-designated textbooks on ethics, which had a profound impact on the careerism of the youth, democratization of domestic politics, and the government’s official advocacy for eliminating racial discrimination on the international stage.

Free Research Field

東西文化交渉史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、日米両国に現存するリンカーン研究資料に対する徹底調査を通じて、初めて近代日本のリンカーン受容の軌跡と全体像を把握し、アメリカの健全な個人主義の精神と開かれた政治の理念がいかにリンカーンという魅力的なロールモデルを通じて日本の青少年、学者および政治家たちに影響を及ぼしたかを解明した。今後のよりよい日米関係、アジア太平洋地域および持続発展可能な地球村の国際関係の構想と構築に資する経験教訓を提供している。