Westernization - Westernization

It generally refers to the Westernization policy that was the basis of the Meiji government's top-down modernization, but it particularly refers to the foreign policy and social phenomenon that was adopted from the late 1870s to the early 1880s to achieve rapid treaty revision. Inoue Kaoru, who became Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1879 (Meiji 12), first tried to restore legal authority, and promoted treaty revision preparatory meetings with various countries in 1882 and treaty revision conferences in 1886. During this time, together with Ito Hirobumi and others, he tried to Europeanize systems, cultural artifacts, and customs, as symbolized by the opening of the Rokumeikan in 1883, in order to have Western countries recognize Japan's modernization and promote negotiations. They advocated socializing between government officials and foreign envoys at the Rokumeikan, the architecture of Western-style buildings, including government offices, the westernization of customs such as clothing, hairstyles, food, and etiquette, the encouragement of Christianity, and reform movements in language, poetry, novels, theater, and art, and even racial reform. Most of these were external Westernizations staged as a political program, and as they were centered on upper class society, they drew harsh criticism. The Minyusha group, including Tokutomi Soho, criticized the aristocratic nature of Westernization and advocated Westernization for the common people, while the Seikyosha group, including Shiga Shigetaka, Miyake Setsurei, and Riku Katsunan, advocated nationalism, and preached respect for traditional culture and the national spirit, criticizing superficial Westernization. Furthermore, the treaty revision negotiations were one-sided and disadvantageous to Japan, as was the appointment of foreign judges, and led to a fierce opposition movement led by liberal civil rights activists, which forced Inoue to resign. Later, the revision negotiations led by Foreign Minister Okuma Shigenobu also ended in failure in 1889, and this marked a rapid decline in the trend towards Westernization.

[Mamoru Wada]

"The Inoue Kaoru Biography Editorial Committee, ed., "The Inoue Koden 3" (1934, Naigai Shoseki / Reprint Edition, 1966, Hara Shobo)" ▽ "The Meiji Political History" edited by Yasuzo Sashihara (included in the Revised Edition of the Meiji Culture Collection 9 & 10, Official History Edition, 1956, Nippon Hyoronsha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

明治政府による上からの近代化の基調となった西欧化政策一般をいうが、とくに明治10年代後半から20年代初めにかけて、条約改正の急速な実現のためにとられた外交政策と社会現象をさす。1879年（明治12）外務卿(きょう)（85年内閣制度成立後外務大臣）に就任した井上馨(かおる)は、まず法権の回復を図ろうとし、82年条約改正予議会、86年条約改正会議を各国との間に進めたが、その際伊藤博文(ひろぶみ)らとともに、83年の鹿鳴館(ろくめいかん)開館に象徴されるごとく、制度、文物、習俗を欧風化して、欧米諸国に日本の近代化を認めさせ、交渉の促進を図ろうとした。鹿鳴館での政府顕官と外国使臣との社交、官庁をはじめ洋館建築、服装、結髪、食事、礼法など風俗の洋風化、キリスト教の奨励や言語、詩歌、小説、演劇、美術などの改良運動、はては人種改良論まで唱道された。その多くは政策的に演出された外面的な欧化であり、上流社会を中心としたものであっただけに厳しい批判が起こった。徳富蘇峰(とくとみそほう)ら民友社グループは欧化主義の貴族的性格を批判して平民的欧化を主張し、志賀重昂(しがしげたか)、三宅雪嶺(みやけせつれい)、陸羯南(くがかつなん)ら国粋主義を標榜(ひょうぼう)する政教社グループは伝統文化や国民的精神の尊重を説いて皮相な欧化主義を批判した。また条約改正交渉は外人法官の任用規定など片務的で日本に不利なものだったので、自由民権家をはじめとして激しい反対運動が起こり、井上を辞職に追い込んだ。その後大隈重信(おおくましげのぶ)外相の改正交渉も89年失敗に終わり、これを機会に欧化主義の風潮も急速に衰えた。

［和田　守］

『井上馨侯伝記編纂会編『世外井上公伝　3』（1934・内外書籍／復刻版・1966・原書房）』▽『指原安三編『明治政史』（『改訂版　明治文化全集9・10　正史篇』所収・1956・日本評論社）』

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