Japan's Colonization of Korea: Discourse and Power

Studies of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University

by Alexis Dudden

From its creation in the early twentieth century, policymakers used the discourse of international law to legitimate Japan’s empire. Although the Japanese state aggrandizers’ reliance on this discourse did not create the imperial nation Japan would become, their fluent use of its terms inscribed Japan’s claims as legal practice within Japan and abroad. Focusing on Japan’s annexation of Korea in 1910, Alexis Dudden gives long-needed attention to the intellectual history of the empire and brings to light presumptions of the twentieth century’s so-called international system by describing its most powerful—and most often overlooked—member’s engagement with that system. Early chapters describe the global atmosphere that declared Japan the legal ruler of Korea and frame the significance of the discourse of early twentieth-century international law and how its terms became Japanese. Dudden then brings together these discussions in her analysis of how Meiji leaders embedded this discourse into legal precedent for Japan, particularly in its relations with Korea. Remaining chapters explore the limits of these ‘universal’ ideas and consider how the international arena measured Japan’s use of its terms. Dudden squares her examination of the legality of Japan’s imperialist designs by discussing the place of colonial policy studies in Japan at the time, demonstrating how this new discipline further created a common sense that Japan’s empire accorded to knowledgeable practice. This landmark study greatly enhances our understanding of the intellectual underpinnings of Japan’s imperial aspirations. In this carefully researched and cogently argued work, Dudden makes clear that, even before Japan annexed Korea, it had embarked on a legal and often legislating mission to make its colonization legitimate in the eyes of the world.

Genres: History, Japan, Asia, Japanese History

215 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2004

Reviews

[Woocool · Rating 2 out of 5]

The angle of approaching the issue is interesting but the issue itself seems vague and its argument too strong and forceful. If a linguistic approach is employed in an analysis like this, the importance and the influence of languages is almost always overstated. As to this very book, the international recognition of Japan's colonization of Korea is not simply achieved by the alignment of so-called international laws shown with the import and choice of words and ideas; there are more decisive reasons including the economic, political and military struggles among the Powers. The language or wording are at best a sugar-up sweet cover of the real drive of the Japanese empire and hard battle under the table between relevant countries.

[Jemmy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author argues that Japan was successful in its colonization of Korea owing to its mastery of international legal discourse. But this leads to a simple question: If discourse mattered more than power, then why did the international community completely disregard Koreans, even those who made use of the very same discourse of international law?

In the end, this is really a story of power, one that has been told better by other historians.

Still, I appreciate the author's passion, and the comparison between empire and slavery is warranted and spot on.

[Benemint · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy argument and easy research. Over-emphasis on the power of the language, and there is no deep conceptual analysis over those who controlled the language were limited to those who had military power. The most frustrating thing (among many) is that the "international legal community" is given and unchanging in her analysis. The value of language changed dramatically during the first three decades of the 20th century world-wide. The book did not reflect it at all. The author does not really achieve "beyond Japan as copycat theory" as it self-claimed.