2021: Early Meiji Diplomacy

Quelle: The Asia-Pacific Journal | Japan Focus Volume 19 | Issue 6 | Number 2 | Article ID 5558 | Mar 15, 2021
Mit freundlicher Erlaubnis von Japan Focus.


Early Meiji Diplomacy Viewed through the Lens of the International Treaties
Culminating in the Annexation of the Ryukyus

Marco Tinello

Abstract:
This paper focuses on Meiji Japan’s annexation of the Ryukyus as seen through the eyes of key Western diplomats in the 1870s. Although it played out over seven years, the annexation process unfolded relatively smoothly on the international stage. One   reason for this was the skill with which Japanese diplomats handled inquiries and potential protests by Western diplomats. In this article, I show that, as early as 1872, leading members of the Meiji government were gaining familiarity with the nuances of Western diplomatic maneuvering. Indeed, in some ways the annexation functioned as a rehearsal for future diplomatic challenges the regime would face. In retrospect, it offers an excellent lens through which to view Japanese diplomacy of the 1870s.  ....

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