What is 'Pan-Asianism' (full essay for student)

Pan-Asianism is an ideology that promotes the unity of Asian peoples.

The term Asian link to shared experiences and resistance as a unity to resist power of Westerner but the difference is, how it should be. So the concept of Asia unity comes from many conner that led to pan-asianism.

Unlike Pan-nationalism where nationstate and pan-nationalism considered nation as shared biologist or biological unit. Pan-nationalism is a form of nationalism that being associated with a claimed of national territory which does not correspond to existing political boundaries. It often defines the nation as a collective identity of supposedly related ethnic or cultural groups.

For example,

🌽For pan-slavic, Russia have to expand its influence over other slav countries which blind by biologised.

🌽For pan-Germanic, German have to expand territory to bring Germanic people together. The result is Germany expand state beyond the state.

So it can be concluded that Pan-asianism is not pan-nationalism. But it’s a part of pan-ideologies.

Pan-Asian thinking emerging across Asia not specifically one nation. But the core idea is the resistance of Westerner power.

The existence of an Asian identity is rather spiritual one, not the biological identity like slav that was simply taken for granted.

All pan-asianism assume that there is “one-asian” bases on some set of commonalities. Potential sources for this Asian identity including

1). Long history of interaction and cultural connections in East Asia. Such as,

🌽Geography. Not just physical but cultural. asian as an entity and object to western projection.

🌽Cultural unity. Influence of indian and SEA. Link to common origin. such as buddhism. Before western domination, there is a far interaction in SEA and india like a chain trade that link them for century which hardly for western to step in.

🌽Historical interconnectedness. Connect between part of asian like silk road.

🌽Shared racial kinship. For example, the claim that Korea is actually Japanese.

2) Struggle against Western imperialism as idea emerged in the 19th century. Fighting against western imperialism

🌽Unity of asian civilisation (asian values, Asian character). The idea is asia, in term of ethic, is different from the west. However, the outcome is very questionable. For example, 1989 the student start protest in China against communist. Western country like USA support the protest. So Chinese Military respond by bring the idea that don’t impose western value on us. It raise the question is that their value are really different?

🌽Common destiny. Fight against western materialism. For example, pop culture of western.

But these creates Problem of pan-asianism is that

🌽It emerged in respond to western colonist. Before 1900, most of Asian countries including, Thailand has not progress the word ‘Asian’ before. It was described by Europeans term origin in ancient greek, to describe Persian empire. Persian at that time is the mightiest and the largest empire the world have ever seen. So the term Asian linked to a threat from the East. The term Asian itself is expanded over time to describe all the land from the east of Europe to describe Persian and then became the whole continent.

🔑So Right from the beginning, the term Asian linked to dichotomy that Asia is NOT Europe. Relatively late 16th, the word ‘Asia’ was used by Western to describe China due to jesuit missionaries assisting Chinese “modernisation”. As the spread of Western influence in Asia, term ‘Asia’ starts being more widely used across ‘Asia’. It Takes centuries before the term becomes widely used.

🌽It’s impossible to track feature unity back to a common origin. For example, cosmology between China and Japan is quite the same such as architecture. So this given that that there is no need to expand anything about their origin because everything is basically the same. It creates some kind of essence that is not only pan-east asianism but all part of Asia. However, the problem is, the whole asian don’t have the same common origin.

Variety of forms of Asian identity including

1) Assumption on racial unity, racial common pool. Darwin socialism is not applies in asian because they attempt to unify Asian race.

2) Commonality in culture and language

all these variety shared a common emphasis on transnationalism and Asia unity.

🔑Transnationalism serve as a basic for pan-asianism. It’s an interest transfer linking between groups. It makes flow back and forth of ideas. For example, Korea and China in linguistic term. Korea and China languages are not meet in the middle but cross into and over in different layers. The result is transfer of culture that overlaps and it serves as a source for Asian unity.

Japanese and Pan-asianism

How is it work in term of pan-Asianism is that Japan believe that it has divine mission to liberate Asia from Westerner (Asian monroe doctrine). The ideas among pan-Asian countries are different including

🌽version1; Unity among equals, common goal of resistance of Westerner, flat hierarchy.

🌽version2; Hierarchy view as Japanese is a leader of pan-Asian unity (Japan exceptional)

Because Japanese is not colonised by Westerner and the defeat of European in Russo-Japanese war. It also success in catching up with the West. Japan was admitted to be the club among world powers.

Such a form of Japanese-Western allies crates growing of Japanese-nationalism. It led to the Japanese colonial expansion that it Japan is as power as America so it should start building an Empire.

As a consequence, Asia become Japan sphere of influence(Asian monroe doctrine). Which led to the invasion of Manchuria by Japan to increase influence against Europe.

As a result, pan-Asianism became a tool in Japan struggling with China in leadership in Asia.

In the past, there is Yellow peril which western fear of yellow population will out number the white and finally they will be replaced by the Asian. So they responded by restrictionism against Asian. It’s the first time in history that there is immigrant regulation in USA. This lead to the shift from China to Japan domination. Pan-Asianism is the source of Western fear of increasing strong Asian under Japan leadership.

The result is pan-ideology becomes an important variable in Global politics because Japan seem to be on the winning side where it successes in establish leadership in most of Asian countries.

In pre-World War II, Pan-Asianism was, at its core, the idea that Asia should unite against European imperialism. Asia needs to modernise (like japan) in order to overthrow Western domination. So Japan was seen a role model. Therefore, it can guide and lead other ‘backward’ Asian. Before and during World War II, this was a major element in Japanese propaganda to justify Japanese external invasions. Japanese Asianism developed in intertwining among debates on solidarity with Asian nations who were under pressure of the West and on aggressive expansion to the Asian continent.

Pan-asianism emerge across Asia over time but when it connect with western it allows Japan to expand the idea. Certain ruler of Japanese developed a certain policy.

This idea of pan-asians under Japanese leadership is successful because japan has

1). Long tradition of history

💍It comes from the sources of cultural commonalities. For example, Japan colonise Korea by claiming that they used to be the same culture until China cause the distinct between 2 countries. So what does Japan done is using annexation of Korea to legitimate Japanese pan-nationalism in colonial domination.

Japanese emperor has the longest history. Start of China republic is the end of china empire with the collapse of Manju empire. It is the opportunity for japan to occupy Korea. Japan use the argument that the commonality between Japan and Korea bring them back together as it used to be. They use to be one cultural myth (classic pan-nationalism ).But for century, Chinese has cut them of off. So this is the opportunity to unity again. It led to the Japan annexation of Korea in 1910. Japan claim of ancient common link between both culture which was separate by Chinese influence in Korea. Annexation between Japan and Korea will rectifying situation by restoring ancient links.

Sino-Japanses antagonise in term of which one of the two would lead a unified Asia. China used to emerge as the most power in Asia. But by 21st century, China is declined and Japan rise. Many chines elite see chance of replacing Chinese dominant by Japanese dominant as the resistance of Western dominance. For a long time china dominated the idea of pan-asianism but it was replaced by pan-asianism under Japanese leadership (Japan=new middle kingdom). It can be said that Pan-asianism is a significant challenge to earlier (pan-) sinotric order. Under Japanese leadership of meishu, is linked to ancient concept of ‘hakko ichiu’ in which the ancient concept of hakko ichiu is ‘corner of the world united under one roof’ The idea is to establish a harmonious state where everything is connected where the centre of the movement must move in the one harmonious framework (of Japanese).

2) Japan’s successful modernisation

💍It comes from the source of resist to Western imperial domination

What linked Asian together is that they think they are subject to Western domination.

Asian unity is a pre-condition for challenging of western imperial dominance to achieve national self-determination. In which Japan successfully done due to their technological advantage over other asian nations.

For example, victory in the Russo-japanses war of 1904 (and previous in the sion-japan war 0f 1894-50) Its vigor in 21st century proves that Japan is superior than any asians in successfully insist Western power(Russia). So Japanese claim that they have any rights to colonise and unit other asians. Pan-Asianism in the way to overcome western superiority. However it’s seen as the way of using pan-asian to serve one nation interest. Japanese attempt to reconcile Japanese expansionism with idea of pan-asian that is a liberation from western dominance.

They claim that “We free you from the West, we protect Indo-china from France colonisation. so this make us the proper ruler than the westerner”. This led to the Japanese movement to liberate Asia.

However, in reality, such a justification of colonisation is hard to distinguish from colonial oppression. To illustrate, Japanese use policy in Korea in the way of non-family member. They try to destroy Korea culture, school by only allow Korean to learn Japanese, abolish Korea name, dominant by colonised culture. But in political systematic Japanese claim that they don’t do this for gain control but liberation from western power.

The emergence of Asian racial thinking under same culture, same race link to the idea of future clash of races/ race war that the world is not distinguish by nation but the divining line that really matter is race. It creates Western/Eastern fear of yellow Peril that there will be war between white races (european claim of superior) and the yellow races (modernisation, modernising tool)

There is an Anti-Asian immigration registration in US in the late 19th. 1924 Johnson-Reed act: restrictions Japanese immigration to the US. Triggers “pan-Asian” response. Other Asian intellectual support Japanese protest (example, Rabindranath Tagore’s visit to Japan) It emphasis pan-Asian solidity that is not about USA and Japan but also USA-Asia.

This situation can be link to Monroe Doctrine in USA in considering a Japanese Monroe Doctrine for Asia to block the expansion of European powers in Northern China and Korea.

1823, modern world doctrine is all about sprees of interest where the Western hemisphere is US sphere of interest. Any attempt by European powers to interferer in this sphere is regarded a direct challenge the US. For example, If Britain try to get influence in Venezuela or columbia, USA will see that they are dominant power in this continent so they wont let it happen. The same situation applies to Asia is Japan sphere of interest in Asian continent. So Japan have to protect Asia from outsider power.

As a result, at time, pan-asianism became legitimise of Japanese colonial expansion (pro-colonial). Because Japan is the only country that can successfully insist the power of western colonisation. Japan colonialism start in Okinawa island and then Japanese colonised Taiwan. However, this concept of pan-asianism clash with another form of pan-Asianism where it’s the way of overcoming Western imperial/colonial domination and to develop national independence(anti-colonial).

This creates paradox of Pan-Asian that Japan use pan-asianism to colonised other asian country which it served Japan benefit. So there is 2 coexisting of pan-Asianism including,

1) Under Japanese leadership (legitimisation of Japanese expansionism&colonialism)

2) Pan-asian solidarity, unity among equals common enemy, common destiny.

Indifferent parts of asian different approaches to deal with this tension.

For example,

🌽Korea, respond to pan-asianism idea that Korean nationalists reject pan-asianism as tool of Japanese colonialism (in Korea). “You come and occupy us and you claim the link that got lost cut Chinese influence. Dilemma Korea intellectual faced after the out brake of pacific war (1941): Japanese war with US is a race war is that the way yellow and white clash? => as a member of yellow race, Korea need to support Japan because if supporting the US -> weakening the prospect of yellow races to revile in this clash.

🌽China (same as Korea, japan actually really try to brutal suppress other asian country)

China reject of Japanese domination of pan-asianism. They claim agency to chose its own path towards modernity.Tension between Japanese model and Chinese call for rival. Sun Yat-sen is the father of China revival society and leader of the republican movement in China (1911 creation of Chinese republic). He called for the idea of Chinese revival: Chinese way to modernity. There is a certain foundation that hold Chinese together so we shouldn’t follow Western model of modernity. IT’s the Chinese way to modernity empire (anachronistic) to republic (modern). China harsh critique of Japanese expansionism and continuation of the old sino-Japanese rivalry that Japan does not call for the general interest but claiming of divine mission of Japanese supremacy.

🌽India (Never be a subject of Japanese)

Due to certain distance, they have few negative legacy(such as Japanese domination) attached to pan-asianism. Pan-asians in India is linked to international struggle for self-independent, self-determination post-colonial nation states and is linked to Asian solidarity as not asian empire under Japan leadership, against Western imperialism. Another sources is linked to Japan itself as there are many Japanese exiles here.

🌽SEA

South East Asian and Japanese in pan-asianism not relevant until the late 1930 (occupy by Japanese). Japan claim that they come with liberation and good relation to Thailand where it’s ideological consensus of Japanese domination pan-asian propaganda (Thailand-Japanese occupation). Japan claim to free SEA from Western colonialism. However this clashing with the reality of brutal Japanese occupation regime. For example, rail way in Thailand where Japanese force thousand of Asian worker in absolute brutal work environment. That is why many asian very skeptical for their relationship and call for China.

🌽Western-Asian

Such as Persian. Persia, is former ottoman empire where it’s a pan-islamic of Caliphate.Sunni start develop as a military force until ottoman emperor claim the empire. result is pan-slavic link to the ottoman empire in which it creates cooperation with Japan and pan-Islamic movement (but this link never gain momentum) as it links to the western domination.

legacy of pan-asianism

Pan-asianism in post war (1945-) that it was discredited. Japanese was divined into 2 trails.

Japanese left: pan-asianism believe that colonialism and aggressive nationalism should be rejected. Japanese right: pursued ambitious continue of pan-Asian rhetoric.

In Japanese political mainstream, there is no official space for pan-asianism. Liberal party (conservative in western sense) dominated Japanese politics in which their core idea is

🌽1.further economic progress(Japan as a economic power). The result is for the second time in history, japan rapidly modernising to competing with united state.

🌽2.close relation to the USA as Japan has to demilitarisation to guarantee security by USA. What happen after war is US prohibit Japan to have military but in return, they’ll protect Japan. (japan have the largest US military bas out side USA). This close relationship make them no longer resist western power. If Japan want to colonise other asians again, they will be seen as a puppet of USA. Not as a protecter like in the past.

The legacy of pan-asian somehow still reflected in Ambivalence prevails.

🌽1.Japanese left re-invokes “asian-solidarity/brotherhood”

🌽2.Japanese right continue to claim Japanese leadership role, justifying colonisation.

For example, pan-asian elements in contemporary Japanese politics still can be found including,

🌽1.Asian development fund(1957).

🌽2.proposal of an pan asian monetary fund (1997) to prevent crisis to happen again(to prevent IMF american control).

🌽3.Cooperation in ASEAN+3. It’s a framework to establish asian regionalism. regionalism: state driven cooperation between countries. The idea is that we as asian should run our own affair against USA.

It can be concluded that even pan-asian as an element is dead but it still reflect in today policy.