A Confucian nationalist for modern Japan: Yasuoka Masahiro, the nation-state, and moral self-cultivation, 1898--1983

This dissertation examines the thought and activities of the nationalist ideologue Yasuoka Masahiro (1898--1983). Drawing on principles of moral self-cultivation derived primarily from Chinese classical philosophy, Yasuoka preached a message of "Confucian nationalism" calling for rule by a moral elite comprised of exemplary "men of character." By acknowledging the Confucian content of his ideas, this study challenges the prevailing view of the twentieth century as heralding the reduction of Confucianism to the realm of anachronism or ideological invention. By tracing Yasuoka's activities as a private scholar-advisor to court officials, bureaucrats, business leaders, military officers, and postwar politicians, this thesis likewise maintains the significance of his nationalist discourse to modern Japan's political history.;More specifically, examining Yasuoka's views on self-cultivation revises standard portrayals of Taisho-era personal cultivation as constituting a rejection of passe Meiji-style character building. Covering his involvement with officials promoting the revival of classical Chinese learning and with a new generation of right-wing leaders clarifies the political appeal of his message. Tracking Yasuoka's divergence from the radical right and deepening ties to non-party political elites reveals the relevance of Confucian ideals to the identity formation of reformist bureaucrats. Investigating his articulation of the "Kingly Way" demonstrates that this rhetoric was more than simply a hasty rationalization of the Manchurian Incident. Following Yasuoka's efforts to ward off the threats posed by radical reformists and military defeat sheds new light on wartime political competition and ideology. Finally, probing his role as spiritual adviser to prime ministers and business leaders reveals the relevance of Yasuoka's nationalism to postwar history.;In sum, this study demonstrates the importance of reconstructions of Confucian thought to the intellectual and political history of modern Japan. Along with shedding new light on character cultivation, moral education, bureaucratic reformism, and Japanese nationalism, this study encourages historians to reexamine the presumption of radical historical discontinuity in the formation of a uniquely modern sense of self-identity, offering instead an interpretation that recognizes the contingent restructuring of traditional modes of self-knowledge as constituting an integral part of modernity.