American Pioneers and the Japanese Frontier: American Experts in Nineteenth-Century Japan

by Fumiko Fujita

Overview

In 1871-1882 fifty Americans, along with other foreign experts, were employed by the Japanese government to develop Japan's northern frontier, Hokkaido. Their work covered a wide scope of activities, from introducing Western agriculture and industry, constructing roads and a railroad, and surveying topography and mines, to establishing an agricultural college. While examining the overall undertaking, Professor Fujita specifically focuses on the prominent members who left copious private and public records. She thoroughly examines their ideas as well as their attitudes toward an alien culture. At the same time, she shows the Japanese responses to these experts and their alien culture.

This is the first booklength examination of a development project that, in many ways, approaches some of the twentieth century undertakings in scope and complexity. As such, it will be of interest to students and scholars of inter-cultural relations, and Japanese and American nineteenth-century history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313287886
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	08/30/1994
Series:	Contributions in Asian Studies , #4
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.62(d)
Lexile:	1570L (what's this?)

About the Author

FUMIKO FUJITA is Professor of American History at Tsuda College, Tokyo, and an expert on US-Japanese relations.

Table of Contents

Preface
Hokkaido and the United States
Horace Capron: A Messenger of Western Civilization
Benjamin Smith Lyman: A Disillusioned Helper
Henry S. Munroe and Edwin Dun: Contrast in Commitment
William Smith Clark and Young Professors
The Japanese Response
Conclusion: The Lesson of History
Appendix
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index