2009 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

The Forming of the Public Sphere by the Journalism in Early Meiji Japan and the Debates on the International Order of the East Asia

Research Project

Project/Area Number	19730113
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Politics
Research Institution	University of the Ryukyus
Principal Investigator	SHIODE Hiroyuki University of the Ryukyus, 法文学部, 准教授 (50444906)
Project Period (FY)	2007 – 2009
Keywords	公論形成 / ジャーナリズム / 明治維新 / 東アジア国際社会 / 外交と世論 / 征韓論 / 琉球併合
Research Abstract	This research analyzes the process of forming public sphere by the early Japanese newspapers just after the Meiji Revolution and focuses on their debates on the relations and conflicts between Japan and the East Asian neighboring countries. Despite the strong tie between public opinion and nationalism, the opinions were various including pro-war and anti-war. This shows that the journalism gave weight to open discussions among the different opinions. They also tried the various ways of communication, and there was even the mutual references between the Japanese and the Chinese newspapers at the time of Japan's annexation of Ryukyu.