Shinpei Goto’s Theory Of Expansion

Shinpei Goto is one of the important figures in the history of Japan’s foreign expansion in modern times.In the early days of the Japanese occupation of Taiwan,the anti-Japanese waves prevail in Taiwan,so the Japanese government sends Goto to Taiwan as the chief civil affairs officer to suppress them.At that time,as the governor of Taiwan holds many other positions meanwhile,Goto acts as the actual ruler of Taiwan.Because of his "meritorious service" in ruling Taiwan,the Japanese government sends him to Northeast China(then "Manchuria")to implement its national policy.There,he founds South Manchuria Railway Co.,Ltd(hereinafter referred to as "Manchu Railway"),a Japanese state-oriented company with profound influence in the whole modern history of Japanese aggression against China.Because of his special position in the modern history of Japan’s foreign expansion,Goto’s expansion claims deserve a research to help us further understand the path of Japan’s foreign expansion.From the perspective of the research scope,the previous research is either limited to Goto’s Taiwan period or his Manchu Railway period.The research scope needs to be further expanded.Similarly,the materials used in previous studies are parallel to this horizon,and there is space for further exploration.Therefore,it is still necessary to expand the observation and research from a broader perspective,that is,from the time when Goto becomes a young doctor(1875)to when he leaves Manchu Railway(1908).This paper intends to research this period.In addition,the previous research only intercepts one stage to study Goto’s expansion claims in this period,and this paper intends to make up for it.For this reason,this paper aims to examine the his expansion claims in the past 33 years.At the same time,this paper strives to work hard on the exploration of new materials.In order to study Goto’s expansion claims,the author not only collects his relevant files in the Asian Historical Data Center,but collects many of his works and eight biographies.After reading and sorting out these materials,the author decides to take Goto’s whole life as the research context.By analyzing his works,proposals,policies and the aforementioned biographical materials in various periods,the author plans to systematically and stereoscopically construct his whole expansion claims,and analyze their characteristics and essence.In the first part of this paper,his expansion claims in the period of medical officer are summarized.At this period,as a believer of social Darwinism,he advocates "the law of the jungle",and regards the country as a supreme life assembly.Yet limited to Japan’s relatively weak national strength at that time,Goto advocates that Japan should first focus on the rectification of domestic affairs,so as to maintain its strength and wait for opportunities to expand abroad.In a memorial to the Emperor Meiji on how to use the war reparations from the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895,Goto advocates that Japan should pretend loving peace to delude the outside world.In this period,his claims further develop into the famous theory of "the military readiness of literary outfit".In the second part of this paper,the author discusses Goto’s expansion claims and policies during his tenure as chief civil affairs officer in the governor’s office of Taiwan from two aspects: the expansion in the Island and the expansion outside the Island.First,regarding "biological principles" as a guideline,Goto governs the Chinese in Taiwan from two aspects of repression and conciliation,and at the same time,he plunders resources in the Island,and even sells opium to the Inland,the Chinese mainland and the whole world based on the Taiwan Island.Secondly,with regard to the expansion outside the Island,in a file called the Operation of the South China,Goto proposes a general plan for expansion,arguing that the Japanese forces should infiltrate the South China by cunning and invade it step by step.At the same time,in order to successfully implement the expansion in and outside the Island,Goto shouts deceptive slogans like "we are in the very interest of East Asia".The third part of this paper summarizes Goto’s expansion claims in Northeast China.Relying on the "Manchu Railway",Japanese aggressors led by him expand in Northeast China.In this period,Goto first puts forward the theory of "the military readiness of literary outfit",and advocates to show the outside world that Japan is a peace-loving country from immigration,railway and medical treatment,etc.,keeping a low profile and waiting for opportunities to expand its invasion of Northeast China.Secondly,since he has already experienced the advantage of deceiving Chinese bureaucrats during the Taiwan period,Goto continues to use the routine of persuading Chinese political and economic circles to achieve the purpose of expanding interests in Northeast China.From above,this paper holds that Goto has been carrying out the ambition of expansion since the period of being a domestic medical officer.Therefore,after Japan brings Taiwan into its territory and obtains the right to operate Dalian and Lushun,Goto also begins to fight for the expansion of Japan’s capital and power.Therefore,from becoming a doctor to retiring from “Manchu railway”,Goto has always been a pioneer of militaristic Japan’s foreign expansion.His expansion claims and policies are an important part of modern Japan’s foreign expansion claims and policies.This paper strives to achieve innovation in the following two points.First,as mentioned before,this paper examines the 33-year-expansion of Goto from the time when he becomes a doctor early to the time when he leaves “Manchu Railway”.Second,the paper finds a rare file in past researches named "the Operation of the South China" from the collection of the National Archives of Japan.This file vividly and powerfully proves the fact that Goto is a pioneer of foreign expansion.