''Contemporary Japan: A Review of Far Eastern Affairs'' was a quarterly
[US Bureau of the Census, ''Bibliography of Social Science Periodicals and Monograph Series: Japan 1950-1963'' (Washington DC: US Government Printing Office, 1965), 6.] Japanese English-language
magazine
A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...
published between 1932 and 1970 by the Foreign Affairs Association of Japan.
Though independently published, throughout its existence the magazine had close ties with the Japanese government. It was described by
John W. Dower
John W. Dower (born June 21, 1938 in Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island) is an American author and historian. His 1999 book ''Embracing Defeat, Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II'' won the U.S. National Book Awar ...
as "a valuable semi-official Japanese publication".
Origin and content
''Contemporary Japan'' was the flagship publication of the
Foreign Affairs Association of Japan, an organization founded in October 1931 by Japanese politicians and intellectuals seeking to promote awareness in foreign countries about Japanese affairs. The editorial preface of the first issue explained the magazine's aim "to know and to make known what is going on in Japan and in the minds of the Japanese."
The bulk of each issue consisted of translations into English of the articles and speeches of Japanese writers, scholars, and politicians. The first issue, for instance, included contributions from
Hakucho Masamune,
Taketora Ogata
was a Japanese journalist, Vice President of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper and later a politician. During the war, he joined the Imperial Rule Assistance Association. After the end of the war, he was purged from public service. Later, he became t ...
,
Yamamoto Jōtarō
was a politician and businessman in late Meiji and early Taishō period Empire of Japan. He is noted for his involvement in the Siemens scandal of 1914 and in the development of the South Manchurian Railway.
Biography
Yamamoto Jōtarō was ...
, and
Sakutaro Tachi
was a Japanese expert on international law.
Studied law at Tokyo Imperial University, and graduated in 1897. In 1900–04 studied law in Europe. In 1904 became professor of law at Tokyo Imperial University.
In 1919 served as member of the Comm ...
who was also one of its editors.
[''Contemporary Japan'', June 1932, front matter.] The launch of the periodical was praised by the ''
Financial Times
The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...
'' "for the good work it will do in the propagation of a better knowledge of the nation" at a time when Japan's relations with the outside world were "increasingly complicated".
["Japanese Affairs: A Valuable Quarterly Review", ''The Financial Times'', June 23, 1932, 5.]
In June 1932 the magazine could be purchased for 1 yen and 50 sen per issue,
but by 1970 the price per issue had risen to 1,500 yen.
Links with the Japanese government
The Foreign Affairs Association of Japan which published ''Contemporary Japan'' had links with the Japanese government. In 1932 its administrative council included such figures as Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal
Nobuaki Makino
Count was a Japanese politician and imperial court official. As Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan, Makino served as Emperor Hirohito’s chief counselor on the monarch’s position in Japanese society and policymaking. In this capacity, he ...
, former prime minister
Kosai Uchida Kosai can stand for:
* Hiroki Kosai, 20th-century Japanese astronomer
* Kosai, Shizuoka, Japan, a city
* Kōsai, a disciple of Hōnen of the Jōdo Shū Buddhist sect
* Kosai river, near Kharagpur in the Indian state of West Bengal
* Count Kosai Uchi ...
, future prime minister
Fumimaro Konoe
Prince was a Japanese politician and prime minister. During his tenure, he presided over the Japanese invasion of China in 1937 and the breakdown in relations with the United States, which ultimately culminated in Japan's entry into World W ...
, and former foreign ministers
Kijūrō Shidehara
Baron was a pre–World War II Japanese diplomat and politician. He was Prime Minister of Japan from 1945 to 1946 and a leading proponent of pacifism in Japan before and after World War II. He was the last Japanese Prime Minister who was a m ...
and
Kikujiro Ishii
''Kikujiro'' () is a 1999 Japanese road drama film starring, written, and directed by Takeshi Kitano. Its score was composed by Joe Hisaishi. The film was entered into the 1999 Cannes Film Festival.
''Kikujiro'' tells the story of a young boy sea ...
.
Though the magazine's first issue stressed that it had "no party affiliations, political or otherwise" and sought "to obtain as many representative opinions as possible", it also opened with a special message from Foreign Minister
Kenkichi Yoshizawa
was a Japanese diplomat in the Empire of Japan, serving as 46th Minister for Foreign Affairs (Japan), Foreign Minister of Japan in 1932. He was the maternal grandfather of Sadako Ogata, the former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees fr ...
, which was stridently defensive of Japan's conduct in
Manchuria
Manchuria is an exonym (derived from the endo demonym " Manchu") for a historical and geographic region in Northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day Northeast China (Inner Manchuria) and parts of the Russian Far East (Outer Manc ...
and
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
. The periodical later explained that "on controversial subjects, where national viewpoints are in conflict, it can be taken for granted that our contributors will defend, expound, and do their utmost to propagate, the Japanese view".
During the 1930s and 1940s ''Contemporary Japan'' was strongly supportive of Japanese imperialism and
expansionism in China and after its formation the Cabinet Information Bureau, the official propaganda arm of the Imperial Japanese government, supported the magazine. Because of this its parent body, the Foreign Affairs Association of Japan, officially
registered itself in the United States on November 29, 1938 as being an agent of the Japanese government.
End of the magazine
Though ''Contemporary Japan'' continued to be produced during World War II and for decades after, publication abruptly ceased with volume 29 number 2 which was released in March 1970.
[''Contemporary Japan'', March 1970, front matter.]
See also
*
Japan Echo
''Japan Echo'' was an English-language periodical on Japanese issues which was initially published in print form by Japan Echo Inc. between 1974 and 2010. Consisting mainly of translations into English of magazine and news articles originally pub ...
- a magazine with a similar theme
References
{{Reflist, 30em
1932 establishments in Japan
1970 disestablishments in Japan
Defunct political magazines published in Japan
English-language magazines published in Japan
Japanese studies
Magazines established in 1932
Magazines disestablished in 1970
Defunct magazines published in Tokyo
Quarterly magazines
Defunct English-language magazines