Japan as a "Littoral zone culture"

[JLBadgley]

Okay, so I've been off studying a bit further inland from Japan lately, reading Christopher I. Beckwith's Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present (2009). In general, it is a very thought-provoking work, if overly ambitious (all of that in only 500 pages?), but some of the bits on Japan really get to me.

I realize this isn't his forte, but when he refers to Toyotomi Hideyoshi as the "shogun" of Japan, it tends to make me wonder if he has really studied anything about the country and the period. Thus, when he makes a statement like the following, it really makes me shake my head:

"There are some important reasons why Japan 'modernized' or 'Westernized' so quickly and became the lone Asian power among the otherwise exclusively European and American group of nations ruling most of the world in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. As an island country, Japan was a Littoral zone culture familiar with ships, the sea, an maritime trade. Compared to the peoples of the continental Asian empires founed by Central Eurasians, there was not as much of a conceptual or practical gap for the Japanese to bridge in order to catch up with the European maritime powers. Japan also had an unusually high literacy rate, partly due to the 'temple school' system. And finally the country had not in reality been completely close but had slowly assimilated some of the most important developments of European science via the 'Dutch learning,' translation of books acquire through the Dutch trading post in Nagasaki harbor." (Emphasis added).

Now, I'm willing to admit that the relatively high rate of literacy and selective access to "Dutch learning" was no doubt a key factor in keeping Japan informed on what was going on. However, I don't think I've ever seen anyone try to make the claim that Japan's maritime skills were on par, let alone exceeding, those of the rest of Asia. Granted, Japan was an island nation, but most of what I read of their attempts at crossing even the relatively short distance to Korea often seems to be far behind the abilities of the Chinese, Koreans, and Ryukyuan sailors. Furthermore, although for a period "wako" were greatly feared, that seems to be more for their ferociousness as warriors and not necessarily for their sailing abilities. Finally, while there were "red seal" ships going out and coming back, I had always been under the impression that most of the trade was through ships from other countries coming to Japan, and not the other way around--especially during the period when Japan was closed.

I'd say that the real reason Japan became a power was their ability to quickly (about 30 years) acquire the necessary skills from Britain, France, etc. I don't see their "island culture" coming into it except in that they were able to keep themselves insulated from outside (i.e. European) influences that weakened some of the continental powers; even when they were forced to open, they were still able to maintain some control over their own destiny, rather than just folding to external pressures.

Thoughts? Am I off-base and missing something in this equation?

[Obenjo Kusanosuke]

I agree with you and your observations. I think Beckwith has it totally wrong about Japan. It seems that he is super imposing what made Britain as an island nation a power over the Japan, but the British "cod piece" doesn't fit the Japanese model so well.
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[Tatsunoshi]

Yep, he really 'missed the boat' big time with that analysis (for all the reasons that you've specified). Seems like most of the books I've read that were written by 'Chinese history scholars' that bring Japan into the mix tend to have only the most superficial knowledge of the country. Of course, I don't read too many books by Chinese history scholars because I'm too busy saving the world from their subject's counterfeiting and pirating operations .

[kitsuno]

Outside of piracy (and just how much Japan even engaged in is questionable), Japan was always way behind where an island nation should have been with maritime skills. Probably because Japan wasn't so much a unified country, but a collection of domains for so long, and outside trade also didn't seem that important to them, so they didn't have much reason to raise a maritime army.

[lordameth]

I agree with what everyone else has said - Beckwith has definitely missed the boat (good pun there, Tatsu), making broad-ranging statements based on an assumption that Japan, as an island nation, was strong in its maritime trade abilities, without actually knowing that much about the country.

A few points, though.

[ltdomer98]

[mktanaka]

The period of Japan's history that I see the country having superior Naval/Maritime skills is years post Meiji Restoration... Previous to that period, as others have already stated, Japan does not appear to have superior skills to her peers.

Being an island nation helped (Post Meiji Restoration), but I do not feel it is the main reason for Japan's Imperial Navy success. Note when Military activities moved from sea to air globally, Japan was able to be fairly successful in that transition.

An island nation does/did serve as barrier for entry of other nations, so, that aspect did help with Japan's autonomy. It helped Japan import selectively without being mandated from others what was to be imported.

I think the main reason transcends a period of time, but is related to skills/behaviors of the people of that nation with a solid educational system as a foundation. Skills that if a nation collectively embraces such as "Commitment to Task" in business or military endeavors, it increases chances of success.
Luck plays a part in life, but... my belief that success for an individual, a business, or a nation, is due to the skills and effort put forth for the goal that they trying to achieve. Some of the teachings of Samurai ways post Meiji Restoration helped Japan as a nation with "Commitment to Task".
The other area which I feel helped Japan as a nation move so fast up the World Military/Economic food chain was the elimination of classes where one was destined to live in the same class as one’s predecessors. The system of meritocracy which duties and promotions are based on merit was embraced during this period as well. This change served to motivate all to that one could move up based on performance.

A more recent example of this in my mind that shows an entire nation with a singular goal is Isreal's Defense Force. A country founded in 1948 and in a relatively short period of time, had a very capable national defense program. Granted, having the USA as an ally helps. A nation with a strong "Commitment to Task" can make great progress in a relatively short period of time.

[shikisoku]

And fear of Russia threat.
Military spending at the time was 39% of the national budget.