A Case Study Of Japanese Kaizoku In The Sengoku Period

Since ancient times，there were two main reasons for causing the activities of kaizoku.The first one is the development of the sea route in the world, and the other one is the boomof the coastal areas’ economy.The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries witnessed an expansion ofthe maritime networks transmitting goods and culture within the Japanese archipelago.SetoInland Sea，the narrow body of water has become an economic artery connecting the threemain islands of Honshò, Shikoku and Kyòshò.This sea-based commercial growth developedas centralized authority over the archipelago gradually disintegrated.With the declining of Muromachi Bakufu, the endemic daimyo was rising sharply. Theclique of kaizoku which were made up of the coastal bold and unreserved the families werestrengthening gradually and became the effective dominator of the sea. By controlling thetransportation on the sea and in the name of keigo, kaizoku would set up barricades in the seaundisguisedly and poach the money from the boats passing by in order to accumulate thewealth. And also expanding the territory so as to strengthen the influence to the surroundingareas. Kaizoku which with strong military powers and ability of sea transportation usuallytake orders by the way of the mercenary on the sea for the sake of the daimyo and alsorestricted the daimyo in order to preserved themselves and got more benefits at the same time.Kaizoku was a product of the social unrest condition. The sea power of kaizoku wasclosely related to the changes of Sengoku society. In the process of fighting of Daimyo, newregime arose. The country was moving in the direction of unity.After Toyotomi Hideyoshi almost unified Japan, the policy about the kaizoku was gettingmore and more unyielding. Finally the implement of Kaizoku hunt making the pause for theSengoku period of Japan.