Japan

Looking back on the sixtieth anniversary of the surrender of Japan, Rana Mitter finds the political background to the demonstrations in China against Japanese history textbooks are full of complexities.

Ian Bottomley introduces an exhibition which reflects a special moment in Anglo-Japanese relations in the 17th century, echoed today by a unique loan arrangement between the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds and the Nikko Toshogu Shrine, resting place of the first significant Shogun.

Rikki Kersten extols the example of an unlikely hero, the historian Ienaga Saburo, who singlehandedly challenged Japan’s official view of responsibility for its behaviour in the Second World War.

The Battle of Port Arthur began on February 8th, 1904.

On 14 December 1702, a band of samurai avenged the death of their master.

Albert Axell recalls the era of the Japanese Kamikaze pilots.

Richard Connaughton on the need to re-evaluate an over-looked conflict of the early 20th century.

The Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Alliance, the first between a European country and an Asiatic power against a Western rival, was signed on 30 January 1902.

The first Christian missionary to the country, Francis Xavier, departed from Japan on November 21st, 1551, having made perhaps some 2,000 converts.

Japan's 124th Emperor was born on April 29th, 1901