2019 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
The japanese-italian relations and the issue of treaty revision in the 1880s: focusing on the italian foreign policy toward Japan in the early Meiji Period
| Project/Area Number |
19K23120
|
|---|
| Research Institution | Doshisha University |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
2019-08-30 – 2021-03-31
|
| Keywords | Traty revision / Japn.Italy relations / Inoue Kaoru / Silkeorm eggs |
|---|
| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
This year, I have analysed the situation of the Japanese-Italian trade, and in particular of the export of Japanese silkworm eggs to Italy (and its crisis), during the first half of the 1880s, focusing my analysis on the the trade activity that the silkworm eggs company Kawajiri-gumi from Akita Prefecture performed via its branch office in Turin (in the Northwest Italy) between 1880 and 1885. In this analysis I shed some light on the connection between the decline in demand for Japanese silkworm eggs from Italian market and its infuence on the treaty revision process with Italy. Then, I have analyzed the treaty revision relations between Japan and Italy during the management of the Japanese Foreign Ministry by Inoue Kaoru (1879-1887), with a focus on the diplomatic activity conducted by the Japanese Minister Plenipotentiary to Italy Nabeshima Naohiro (in office between 1880 and 1882) and by his successor Asano Nagakoto (in office between 1882 and 1884). I was thus able to underline the considerable efforts of these two diplomats and the results they achieved in the progess of the treaty revision negotiations with Italy.
I have presented the results mentioned above in the following conferences:
- September 15, 2019: the 3rd Conference in Japan of EAJS (European Association for Japanese Studies) at University of Tsukuba.
- October 26, 2019: the 67th Conference of ITARIAGAKKAI (Association of Italian Studies in Japan) at Kagoshima University.
・December 7, 2019: the 2019 Conference of BUNKASHIGAKKAI (Japanese Association for Cultural History Studies) at Doshisha University.
|
| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
Until now, Japanese sources have been sufficient to carry out my research as planned. However, in order to have a more complete picture of the treaty revision relations between Italy and Japan in the 1880s, I will need to consult also Italian archival sources, and in particular those preserved in the Historical Diplomatic Archive of Italian Foreign Ministry in Rome. However, due to the effects of the spread of COVID-19 in Italy I don't know when I will be able to go safely to Rome to get the necessary sources. This may cause delays and/or changes in my original research plan and in the publication of my research results. Furthermore, the 16th International Conference of EAJS in Belgium of August 2020, to which I will be admitted to participate as a speaker, due to the spread of COVID-19, has been already postponed to the summer of next year.
|
| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
By the contributions below, in the present year I intend to continue promoting my research on the Japanese-Italian treaty revision relations.
December 2020: written contribution on “ORIENTALIA PARTHENOPEA” No. 19 (article submitted in December 2019).
October 2020: written contribution on “STUDI ITALICI” No. 70 (article submitted in March 2020). Written contribution on“FARAVID” No. 50 (article submission in June 2020).
November 2020: written contribution on“THE BUNKASHIGAKU” No. 76 (article submission in July 2020).
December 2020: Participation as speaker at the 2020 Conference of BUNKASHIGAKKAI.
|
| Causes of Carryover |
In order to prepare better my research, the research trip to Italy that I had scheduled for the Previous Fiscal Year was finally changed to the Next Fiscal Year. For this reason I would like to use the Travel Expense, initially scheduled for the Previous Fiscal Year, for the "FY 2020 Travel to Italy", that include transportation fee, accommodation fee and daily allowance for about 10 days travel. This travel is necessary in order to collect italian primary sources at the Historical-Diplomatic Archives of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at the Italian National Central Archive, both in Rome.
|
