A shifting construct of friendly and unfriendly relations between Japan and Korea in the Early-modern era -Negating the portrayal of the "Good Neighbor era"-

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K23106
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0103:History, archaeology, museology, and related fields
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: LEE HYEONGJU 名古屋大学, 人文学研究科, 研究員 (00844862)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 倭館 / 対馬藩 / 裁判役 / 近世日朝関係

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In early-modern era, Japan-Korea’s relationship was maintained involving constant conflict and confrontation. The fat that Japan-Korea’s relationship have been maintained for over 200 years is telling us that it will be essential to find out the "process" of efforts by the two countries to eliminate conflicts and confrontations and maintain and reproduce them.
Saihanyaku of Tsushima Domain was in charge of the "process" above. Unlike other emissaries whose duty was regular diplomatic protocol, Saihanyaku's duty was to negotiate in accordance with each dispute that occurred between Japan and Korea. However, research on Saihanyaku is insufficient. It is necessary to examine the “process” through a Saihanyaku.

Free Research Field

近世日朝関係史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

対馬藩の裁判役は17世紀を経て、18世紀に入ると制度として機能する役職へ変貌していたことが明らかになった。裁判役はその任命にあたって外交能力が優先的に考慮されていたわけでもなく、いわゆる「外交のスペシャリスト」のような存在ではなかった。しかし、裁判役は「人」ではなく「役職その自体」でも重要な交渉任務を全うできる役職であり、朝鮮側との意思疎通のためには「非正規ルート」の創出まで辞さなかった。「善隣友好」的な近世日朝関係はこうした裁判役によって支えられていたのである。