Imperialism in Japan at the beginning of the twentieth century

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This study has reexamined various opinions about imperialism in Japan at the beginning of the twentieth century.The Japanese word imperialism was first used in 1898 when some parts of China were divided by European powers and Philippines was annexed by the United States. Imperialism was not a negative idea before the First World War in the West, but Japanese advocates must have felt some hesitation in asserting imperialism.This study has investigated the relationship between imperialism and social reform based on socialism or Christianity. The anti-imperialist social Christian George D. Herron influenced Japanese Christian socialist Murai Tomoyoshi and Kinoshita Naoe, on whom I have written an article and a book.This study has examined the development of anti-imperialism in Japan to oppositions to the Russo-Japanese War. Christianity, liberalism and socialism urged anti-war movement. Among them, the nonresistance thought of Lev Tolstoy was accepted quite extensively.