Ishi Kikujiro's diplomatic policy to theLeague of Nations and to France

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K01460
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 06020:International relations-related
• Research Institution: Yamagata University
• Principal Investigator: KITAGAWA Tadaaki 山形大学, 人文社会科学部, 教授 (00144105)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 石井菊次郎 / 国際連盟 / 日仏関係 / 満州事変 / 国際連盟脱退

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this research is to examine the diplomatic activity of Ishii Kikujiro, a Japanese Delegate at early meetings of the League of Nations, with regard to Franco-Japanese relations. While there is no doubt that Ishii contributed to resolving disputes and conflicts faced by the League of Nations in the 1920s, such as those in Upper Silesia and Corfu, he was also active in deterring Germany through cooperation with France, and put constant thought into ongoing disputes between Japan and China. This nationalist bias in Ishii’s diplomatic thinking became clear in the Manchurian Incident. Although Ishii criticized the Japanese Army, he approved of the foundation of Manchukuo, and became a spokesman of the Imperial Japanese Government. Further, this research attempts to clarify the various consequences brought about by the weakening of Franco-Japanese relations at the time of the Incident, such as the rapprochement of Japan and Germany.

Free Research Field

政治思想・外交思想

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、戦間期国際協調外交の研究において、対米協調外交、対英協調外交に比べて相対的に軽視されてきた対国際連盟外交＝対欧州協調外交を対象とし、それを牽引した石井菊次郎の外交思想と外交行動を、石井が「新外交」に呼応する過程を含めて研究したものである。その際、揺籃期の国際連盟において日仏関係が持った意味、また満州事変期の国際連盟における日仏関係の脆弱化が、日本の国際連盟脱退や日独接近等、日本外交に持った意味を重視した。さらに、石井に後継する安達峰一郎たち国際連盟派外交官たちの国際主義が、特に芦田均を通じて戦後日本の再建においてどのように伝えられたかを考察した。