Japanese fascism: Encyclopedia II - Japanese fascism - Bases of Japanese nationalism

Japanese fascism - Bases of Japanese nationalism

Japanese nationalism is in fact quite different from European fascism, yet in parts its development can be seen as comparable. Elements of it have been discussed under the label of Asiatic Fascism or Japanese Fascism.

The Yamato Empire had the concept of the state as led by a powerful singular leader (Emperor). In feudal times, the military caste, that included the bushi and the samurai, were organized as a single headquarters-like structure, the Shogunate, which represented the required civil and political power. In this period, that constituted the basic social composition, power structures and the foundation of law. It can be divided into three stages:

• Kamakura Period (1185-1333)
• Muromachi Period (1338-1573)
• Tokugawa Period (1603-1867)

After the Meiji Restoration and the birth of the Empire of Japan, the result seems similar to what has been described above; yet it developed under different circumstances.

This time, there was a leader, who had sufficient power to expand the state, to provide for a homogeneous national education, religion and leverage the pride of the population in local and national history. This developed into Emperor worship centered around Amaterasu-Omikami. The contribution of ideologues such as Kita Ikki, Nakano Seigo and others, when combined with the right wing organizations and Nationalist societies, led to the development of the Japanese version of a 'socialist' state.

The Japanese people were motivated by a revival of of ancient ideals and customs. These nostalgic elements of Samurai feudalism, culture, costumes and myths were put in the service of the national belief of Japan's divine mission to control the rest of the Asian continent.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Bases of Japanese nationalism", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki