Pacific Basin Institute at Pomona College Event

Takahashi Korekiyo and the Road Not Taken

Lecture by

Richard J. Smethurst, Professor of History,
University of Pittsburgh

Between the end of World War I and the invasion of China in 1937, Japan was recognized by the major nations of the world as one of its great powers. Victories over China in 1895, Russia in 1905, and participation in the defeat of Germany in 1918, led to Japan's rise. Unfortunately for Japan, however, many Japanese, both among the leadership and the populace, did not have a clear idea what this meant, and advocated an autonomous foreign policy, especially toward China, and economic self-sufficiency in Japan and its empire. Takahashi Korekiyo, once prime minister and six times finance minister in this period, recognized that there were powers and there were powers. Japan, a country whose industrial capacity was one-seventh that of the United States and one-fourth that of Great Britain, and depended on the two English-speaking powers for capital, natural resources, markets, and technology, did not have the same potential for autonomy and autarky that the Anglo-Americans did. But as Japan moved into the 1930s, its military and their civilian supporters rejected Takahashi's rational approach to foreign and economic policy, assassinated him, and led Japan into wars it could not win with China, the United States, Great Britain, and their allies.

When and Where

Friday, November 6 at 4:15 p.m.

Hahn 108 (420 Harvard Ave., Hahn Bldg., Claremont)

Jointly sponsored by Pomona's History Department, Asian Studies Program, and PBI.
Contact: (909) 607-3075
Pacific Basin Institute at Pomona College

420 Harvard Ave.

Claremont, California 91711