Editorial says the unity of god and man realized by the Japanese Imperial Way cannot be found anywhere else in the world, so Imperial Japan must 'turn the world into a single realm, let all nations take their places, and let all people rest in peace' starting with the colonization of Korea

 

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) March 6, 1943

The True Meaning of National Identity and the Righteous Peninsula

By Kamata Sawaichiro

The Idea of the Formation of the Greater East Asian Nation
Current World Affairs and the Reaffirmation of the Idea

Not only is there is no contradiction in the Japanese spirit and Japanese culture being the guiding principle in the construction of the New World Order, but the remarkable broadening of their universality will surely speed up progress towards their purpose.

Japan is constantly creating itself, and therefore Japan itself is constantly reforming itself and developing itself. What this fact teaches us is this: that Japan-centrism must also transform itself and develop itself along with the creation and development of Japan. In this context, we must make clear the fact that the interpretation of the spirit of Hakko Ichiu is not a narrow nationalism that is concerned only with selfish development.

Rather, it is concerned with forming a true Gemeinschaft (community) inside and outside the country. This philosophy cannot be born from an insular, island nation mentality. If we are narrow-minded and obstinate, we will not be able to realize the historical necessity of the Japanese nation's grand, high-minded, and positive mission in world history, which is to proclaim the cause of righteousness to the whole world, to turn the world into a single realm, to let all nations take their places, and to let all people rest in peace.

Let us consider the issue of the word 'kami' in Japanese. The Chinese character for 'god' (神) is normally applied to the word 'kami', but in fact the Chinese character which should actually be applied to this word should be the one for 'above' (上). That is, the word 'kami' actually refers to ancestors with whom you have a blood connection and who are 'above you', or superior to you in spirit. In other words, the first meaning is to revere your ancestors, and the second meaning is to sublimate your personality into a divine status. You are to see the divine within the human being.

Much has been told regarding human beings who have attained divine status. Look at the amazing fact that even a lowly man in a hut can die and be enshrined as a god of national protection. It is not only those who have died in wars, but also those who have acquired divinity through deeds and practices. Look at Kusunoki Masashige. Look at General Nogi. Look at General Togo. The heroic spirit, the high-minded will, and the beautiful innocence that human beings leave behind in this world like a glow of light are the most concrete examples of the sublimation of personality into the divine. Further, it is a combination of historical ideals that originated from the respect for the gods and veneration of ancestors, which form the essence of Shintoism, the true meaning of national identity. The gods are the actual source of our life. There is no absolute line of separation between the gods and human beings in the organic relationship of life. We, the Japanese people, are the ones who most honestly confirm and realize the unity of the noble gods and man.

I think this kind of phenomenon cannot be seen in any other ethnic group or nation in the world. It is said that individualism and liberalism are based on respect for human beings, but is there anything else that teaches the dignity of human beings as much as the Japanese Imperial Way, which is based on the unity of god and man? Compared to the foreign gods, who are defined metaphysically as ideal gods, abstract gods, or idol gods, this is the purest form of respect for human beings.

Through the true meaning of the Japanese national identity, let us now consider the most serious and urgent of Japan's problems: the ethnic problem.

How to unite and concentrate the many different peoples scattered over the vast area of Greater East Asia, so that they may be at ease and have a place in the world, is the greatest problem that pervades the present and the far future. It is no exaggeration to say that of the two directions of practice, one of war and one of construction, all construction should be concentrated on work with the ethnic groups.

Politics, economy, and culture will be newly generated and reorganized for each ethnic group. This is the liberation and construction of Greater East Asia. At the same time, it is a fool who does not understand the nature of today's long-term war to think that it will be realized only after the war is over. The construction has already begun as the military flag moves forward. Work with the ethnic groups is also on the march. Thus, the formation of a new Greater East Asian Nation has begun. This is the manifestation of Hakko Ichiu in Greater East Asia, which is the only national destiny in Greater East Asia.

We emphasize here anew that the most important thing in the ideology and action of the formation of the Greater East Asian nation is our governance over Korea itself. Amid changes in current world affairs, people must reaffirm that Japan's continental policies and work with the ethnic groups originated in Korea in the first place and are bearing fruit.

Source: 京城日報 1943-03-06 : 京城日報社 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Why am I posting such content? Read my reasons here: https://tpjv86b.blogspot.com/2021/11/nostalgia-for-imperial-japan-and-its.html

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年3月6日

国体の本義と道義半島

鎌田沢一郎

大東亜民族形成の理念
世界新情勢とこれが再認識

かくして日本精神、日本文化が世界新秩序建設の指導原理たらんとする上に何等の矛盾を来さないのみか、著しき普遍性の増大によってその目的の歩度を速め得るであろう。

日本は絶えず自己創造し、従って又日本そのものが絶えず自己改革し、自己発展する。この事実のわれわれに教えているものはこうである。日本主義も亦日本の生成発展とともに自己改造し、自己発展してゆかなければならぬと。茲に於いて、八紘一宇の精神についての解釈に於けるが如きもそれを自己の発展のみを、利己的に考える狭い意味の国家主義にあらざることを明かにせなければならない。

国の内外を通じて真のゲマインシャフトを形成せんとするのである。この理念は鎖国的島国的な根性からは生れないのである。もし偏狭にして固陋であれば、大義を八紘に宣揚し、坤輿を一宇たらしめ、万邦をして各々その所を得せしめ、万民をしてその堵に安んせしめるが如き、日本民族の雄大高邁な積極的意味を持つ世界史的使命の歴史的必然は産まれて来ないのである。

『神』の問題を考えてみる。日本のかみは漢字の神を一応当てはめているが、事実は『上』であると言う。即ち現実の上の方血縁的には祖先、精神的には上位を意味する。つまり一は崇祖敬神であり、一は人格の神格への昇華である。人間の内に神を見るのである。

現人神は申すも長し。賤が伏屋の匹夫と雖も死して護国の神を祀らるる驚異すべき事実をみよ。このことは決して戦争に死にたるもののみでなく、人は行為と実践によって神格を獲得出来るのである。楠木正成をみよ。乃木大将をみよ。東郷元帥をみよ。人間が光芒のようにこの世に遺してゆく雄勁な志操や、高邁な意志や、美しい純情が人格を神格に昇華せしむる最も具体的な実例であり、且つは又国体の本義たる惟神の真髄たる敬神崇祖より発生し来りたる歴史的理念との結合である。神々こそは我々の生命の実際の根源である。神と人間との間に生命的有機的関係を置いて、絶対の隔離線を設けない。尊貴なる神と人との一体を最も正直に確認し実現しているのが我々日本人である。

思うにかくの如き現象は、世界のいずれの民族、いずれの国家にも見られない。個人主義、自由主義は人間尊重にその根底を置くと唱えるが、およそ神人合一のこの日本の皇道主義ほど人間の尊厳性を教えるものが他にあろうか。外国の神がまず形而上学的に神を規定し、単に理想の神、抽象の神、或いは又偶像の神であるに比べて何という人間尊重の純一化であろう。

扨かかる日本国体の真意義を通じて吾々は茲に日本の当面せる諸問題中最も重大にして喫緊なる民族問題を考察して見よう。

広汎なる大東亜の諸地域に、散在する数多くの異民族を、如何に統合し、集中し、その堵に安んぜしめ、その處を得せしむるかということこそ現在及び遥かなる未来をも貫く最大の問題である。否一面戦争、一面建設の二つの実践の方向のうち、建設に関する限り一切が民族工作に集中さるべきものといっても過言でなかろう。

政治も経済も文化も夫々の民族を対象として茲に新しく発生し再編成される。それが即ち大東亜の解放と建設である。同時にそれは戦争の終了を俟って実現されると視るのは今日の長期戦争の本質を知らざる迂遠の徒である。建設は軍旗の進むところ既に始まっている。民族工作も又進軍しつつある。かくて新しき大東亜民族の形成が始められた。これこそ大東亜に於ける八紘一宇の顕現であり、これのみが大東亜に於ける唯一の民族運命である。

大東亜民族形成の理念と行動に於いて、最も大切なものは朝鮮統治そのものであることを茲に新しく強調する。日本の大陸政策、民族工作等はそもそも朝鮮にその端を発し、その実を結びつつあることを人々は新しき世界情勢の変化のもとに再認識せなければならぬ。

1943 Imperial Japanese editorial declares liberalism collapsed and liberal civilization as incapable of maintaining peace and order, and attacks the "analytical spirit of modernity", "extreme analysis", "abuse of the intellect", and "divisive individualism" while praising fascism and Nazism for building holistic, organic communal societies

 

The True Meaning of National Identity and the Righteous Peninsula (5)

By Kamata Sawaichiro

The Rise of Internal Cohesionism

Replacing Analytical Spiritualism

The West has brought about an unprecedented revolution in the realm of natural science and technology in human society, shortened distances in space and time throughout the world, and given the world the consciousness that the earth is a unified organism. In this respect, we praise the great achievements of modern Western civilization. The ideas of liberalism and individualism that formed the basis of modern Western civilization dominated society throughout the 19th century and created a history of spectacular progress.

It was the most glorious, most revered, and most progressive era in the history of human civilization to date.

On the other hand, it also contained great invisible weaknesses and shortcomings. In other words, modern civilization has neglected the deep spiritual problems of human existence. It has ignored the fact that there is a kingdom of the spirit outside the realm of natural matter. People thought they were free when they were freed from the laws of God and all the restrictive order of society. This is where the idea of modern freedom, the ferment of individualism, arose.

Thus, liberalism, which emerged as a reaction to medieval civilization, broke through the darkness of that time and made us discover "human beings" in the modern sense, which was thought to be the eternal truth of humanity. When individualism and materialism were taken to the extreme, the point of self-intoxication was reached, and what we now see before us is a state of anarchy in the sphere of life.

The result of subjectivism, rationalism, and positivism is skepticism, materialism, and competition for survival; the result of the Reformation is the loss of tradition and authority, and the anarchy of faith to which the spirit has no return; the result of contract theory and utilitarianism is the tendency toward anarchy in politics; and the result of the economic principle of laissez-faire is economic anarchy, which is the root of modern social unrest.

In short, it then became clear that liberal civilization was incapable of maintaining peace and order in the community of mankind. The mutual interpersonal relationships of trust, and the internal and international relations between ethnic groups had begun to show phenomena full of contradictions as though they were losing their foundations. Then the First Great European War broke out. The general tendency of division, confrontation, struggle, and lack of control was further promoted, and pessimistic criticism of the nature of Western civilization itself became widespread. Oswald Spengler's "The Decline of the West" became a worldwide topic of conversation, as the pessimistic criticism grew by leaps and bounds and was further validated in the Second World War.

At this point, the world turned around and became convinced that there was a spiritual kingdom outside the realm of nature, and that it was time to rise above the extreme analysis, utilitarianism, and vulgarization that were caused by the abuse of the intellect.

There were efforts to rebuild the world by excluding the analytical spirit of modernity, which sees the tree and not the forest; by confirming that there is a rich, holistic, and concrete emotional state, including feelings and motivations, outside of the intellect; and by seeing the whole as an internal cohesion of people.

The rise of fascism in Italy is the first manifestation of this. Fascism was not a reorganization of capitalism as Marx theorists claimed, nor was it merely a conservative reaction to the Russian Revolution. The Italian word "fascio" means "union". In other words, it is a matter of tensing up and bringing under control those things that have been relaxed and divided up to now.

Therefore, fascism, or unificationism, firstly overcomes capitalism, which is based on divisive individualism, and also overcomes communism, which divides society into only two classes (bourgeois and proletarian) and establishes the dictatorship of the proletariat only through class struggle. Fascism builds a communal society which is holistically organic in a novel way. The principle of fascism is clearly a totalitarian philosophical idea.

Mussolini said, "Fascism is not something to be exported. It is a typical Italian phenomenon, but some of its theories are universal, because many countries are suffering from the corruption of their liberal and democratic institutions."

As he said, the fascist movement was unique to Italy, and it emerged in the unique environment of Italy after the European War. Therefore, fascism was not born as an internationally unified theory. However, similar social trends and movements emerged, one after the other, in many countries around the world, thereby opening opportunities.

Although each of these movements and theories is unique in appearance, they are essentially driven by a common tendency, which is why the movements and theories cannot be limited to Italy.

Next came the rise of the Nazis. In 1919, the German National Socialist Workers' Party made its first appearance in Munich and continued to make rapid progress unparalleled in the history of the world, which is continuing to the present-day. However, almost all the scholars, thinkers and critics in Japan adopted the liberal worldview and looked at this movement with a blank eye, and have even described it as a "violent movement with no ideological content".

However, if we look at the spiritual basis of the Nazi movement today, we can see that it emphasizes the ethnic group over the individual, regards the life of the ethnic group as absolute, and establishes a new worldview of ethnic totalitarianism in contrast to the conventional individualistic worldview.

There are many causes for the rise of the Nazis. One of the most important causes was the social situation after the European War. Through the ordeal of the post-war period, people realized that the power of the instinctive feelings of the members of the ethnic society to unite into a common society was far stronger than the international unity of workers as claimed by the socialists.

In addition, the world economy after the war encountered an unprecedented depression, and each country took various emergency measures both domestically and internationally, but these measures had almost no effect. Thus, each country adopted a policy of national control over capitalism for the welfare of the whole nation domestically, and a policy of national empowerment abroad. This tendency could be seen in all countries, but it is not surprising that it was stronger in countries with great national difficulties, such as Germany and Italy.

In Germany, the chaos was particularly severe due to the exhaustion caused by the ravages of war, the payment of reparations, the flood of unemployed people, the corruption of political parties, and the conversion of the military into political parties. The Marxist system of social democracy did not contribute anything other than to guide the German people towards the abyss. The only thing left for Germany to do under those circumstances was to stand up for a profit-driven society, to stop socialism, to form an ethnic-national communal society, to arouse national sentiment, and to begin marching its troops towards a grand reconstruction, starting from the brink of the abyss.

However, we must not overlook the fact that in both Italy and Germany, the collapse of liberalism was the cultural historical cause that formed a major background to these political and social phenomena.

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo), February 26, 1943

Source: https://archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-02-26

Reddit Link: 1943 Imperial Japanese editorial declares liberalism as incapable of maintaining peace and order, and attacks the "analytical spirit of modernity", "extreme analysis", "abuse of the intellect", and "divisive individualism" while praising Fascism and Nazism for building holistic communal societies : badphilosophy (reddit.com)

(Transcription into modern Japanese orthography)

京城日報　1943年2月26日

国体の本義と道義半島（五）

鎌田沢一郎

内面的結合主義の勃興

分析精神主義にとって代わる

かくて西欧は自然科学と技術との領域に於いて未曾有の大変革を人類社会に齎し、時間的、空間的に世界の距離を短縮せしめ、地球が統一有機体であるとの自覚を世界に与えた。この点に於いて吾々は近代西欧文明の偉大なる功績を讃美する。従ってその根柢をなした自由主義、個人主義の思想は十九世紀を通じて社会を支配し、華々しい進歩の歴史を造り上げた。

今日までの人類文明史上、最も華やかな、最も崇める最も進歩したる時代であったといえる。

しかしながら他面において、それが眼に見えぬ大なる弱点と短所とを包蔵していたのである。即ち近代文明は人間存在に関する深奥なる精神問題のあることを閑却していた。自然物質の領域の外に精神の王国あることを無視していた。人々は神の掟と社会の凡ての制約的秩序から解放せられることを自由と考えた。ここに個人主義の醗酵素たる近代自由の理念が発生したのである。

かくして中世文明の反動として勃興し来った自由主義は当時の暗黒を打ち破って、近代的意味に於ける「人間」を発見せしめた功績は人類永久の真理であるかに考えられて来たが、個人主義、唯物主義の極まるところ、遂にその自家中毒を起して、現在我々の前に曝け出した姿は、凡ゆる生活領域に於ける無政府状態である。

即ち主観主義、合理主義、実証主義の齎したものは懐疑主義、物質主義、生存競争主義であり、宗教改革の残したものは、伝統と権威を失い、精神の帰順するところなき信仰の無政府であり、契約説、功利主義の到達したるところは、政治上の無政府傾向であり、自由放任主義の経済原則の到達したるところは現代社会不安の根元たる経済的無政府である。

要するに自由主義文明は人類共同社会の秩序と平和を維持し能わぬことは今や明瞭となり、人間の相互信頼関係と、民族の内面的国際関係はいよいよ基礎を失うがごとき矛盾に満ちた現象が現れ始め、遂に第一次欧州大戦となり、戦後に於いては一時分裂と対立と闘争と無統制との一般的傾向はますます助長せられ、さらに西欧文明の本質そのものに対する悲観的批判が広く行わるるに至り、オスワルド・シュペングラーの「西欧の没落」が世界的話題となり、更にそれが飛躍して第二次世界戦争に於いて実証さるるに至ったのである。

茲に於いて世界は再転して、自然の領域の外に精神の王国あることを確信し、知性の濫用による極端なる分析と功利化と卑俗化より起ち上がらんとするに至った。

木を見て森を見ざるが如き近代の分析精神を排して、知の外に感情や意欲を含めて豊かな全体的、具体的な心情のあることを確認し、人と人との内面的結合による全体を視ることによって、その建て直しを図らんとするに至ったのである。

まず伊太利におけるファシズムの勃興はその一の現れである。ファシズムはマルクス理論家のいうがごとき資本主義の再編成でもなければ、又ロシア革命への単なる保守主義的反動でもない。ファショというイタリー語は「結束」を意味する。即ち今まで弛緩し分裂し来った所のものを緊張せしめ、統轄せしめることである。

故にファシズム即ち結束主義は、先ず第一に分裂的なる個人主義に立つ資本主義を克服するとともに、また他方社会をブルジョアとプロレタリアの二階層にのみ分かち、階級闘争によってプロレタリアのみの独裁政治を確立せんとする共産主義をも克服し、新たに全体的有機的なる共同社会を建設せんとするものである。ファシズムの原理は明かに全体主義的哲学理念である。

ムッソリーニはいう、「ファシズムは輸出品ではない。それは典型的なるイタリー的現象である。だがその理論のあるものは普遍的である。何となれば多くの国が自由主義的、民主主義的制度の堕落に苦悩しているからである」と。

その言のごとく、ファッショ運動はイタリー固有のものであり、欧州大戦後の特殊なる環境に置かれていたイタリーに於いて勃興し、国際的に統一された理論として生れたものではない。しかし乍ら、それを契機として、これと同様なる社会傾向および運動形態が世界各国に於いて次々と見られる様になった。

勿論それらは外見的に夫々特異なる相を示しているが、本質的には一つの共通的なる傾向によって貫かれているが故に、その運動および理論を単にイタリーにのみ極限することは出来ないのである。

次はナチスの勃興である。一九一九年ミュンヘンに於いて初めて微小なる姿を現したドイツ国民主義社会労働党は、これまた世界史に比類なき急速なる躍進を続けて今日に及んだが、この運動に対しても我国の学者、思想家、評論家の殆どすべてが自由主義的世界観に立ち、兎角これを白眼視来り、甚だしきに至りては「思想的に無内容なる暴力運動」なりとさえ評し来ったのである。

しかし乍ら今日このナチス運動の精神的基礎を冷静に観察すれば、それは個人よりも民族を重んじ、民族生命をもって絶対的なるものとし、従来の個人主義的世界観に対し、新たに民族全体主義の世界観を確立するに至ったのである。

蓋しナチスの勃興についても幾多の原因が存在する。就中重要なる原因の一つは欧州大戦後の社会的事情である。欧州大戦後の試練を通じて人々は、社会主義者の主張する労働者の国際的団結よりも、民族社会の成員が本能的な感情を以て、共同社会に結びつく力の方が遥かに強大である事を如実に体験した。

加うるに大戦後の世界経済は未曾有の不況に遭遇し、各国は夫々国内的にも、国際的にも種々の応急方策を講じたが、それは殆ど何等の効果を齎さなかった。かくて各国は国内的には全体の福利のために資本主義に国家的統制を加え、国外的には国民の威力を発揚せんとする政策を採るに至った。かかる傾向はいずれの国にもみられたが、ドイツ、イタリーの如き国家的困難の大きい国にその傾向の強かったことは当然の現象である。

ドイツに於いては戦禍に因る疲弊、賠償金の支払い、失業者の洪水、政党の堕落、軍部の政党化によって、その混乱は特に甚だしかったのである。而も社会民主主義治下のマルキシズム的制度は独逸国民を没落に導く以外に何等の貢献を齎さなかった。かかる情勢下に於いてドイツに残された急務は、利益社会に立って社会主義を止揚し、民族国家的共同社会を結成し、国民的感情を昂揚し、没落一歩手前より大建設を目ざしての進軍を開始することであった。

蓋しイタリーの場合も、ドイツの場合も、かかる政治的、社会的現象の大なる背景をなすものに、自由主義の崩壊という文化史的原因あることを見逃してはならないのである。

1943 Imperial Japanese editorial decries liberalism, individualistic humanism, rationalism, international universalism, and Marxist materialism of the West for corrupting Japan, and calls for a "high-minded Japanese worldview" and reliance on "irrational and mysterious powers" of the Japanese spirit

 

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo), February 24, 1943

The True Meaning of National Identity and the Righteous Peninsula (3)

By Kamata Sawaichiro

Now is the Time to Deny the Past
Toward the Establishment of a High-minded Japanese Worldview

Looking back at the past, since the opening of Japan to the outside world in the Meiji era, Japan has gradually developed the characteristics of early modern liberalism, following the mainstream of thought since the commercial revolution in Western Europe. However, the liberalism of the early modern period in the West was the mechanization of human life, the promise of unlimited material development, and the construction of a luxurious capitalist civilization on top of that.

Thus, the enlightened individualistic humanism that originated in the Renaissance, flourished in the Reformation, and bore fruit in the independence of the United States, the political reforms in France, and the social revolution in Russia, was the natural destination of the modern spirit that denied God. Static, stagnant societies were replaced by noisy, dynamic, progressive societies. Communal societies were replaced by profit-driven societies. Natural societies were replaced by societies of rights and contracts. Societies of faith were replaced by societies of science. The Kingdom of God was buried, and the Kingdom of Knowledge was established.

People have forgotten the demands of the higher soul or divine value, and have come to place the greatest value only on material value and its increase by various technical means. This has become even more blatant in the Marxist view of materialist history, which was developed due to the impasse of liberalism. Japan in particular, which had lagged behind in the development of capitalist civilization in the early modern period due to the isolationist policy of Tokugawa feudal society, was tasked with the challenge of catching up with the standards of Europe and America in every aspect. It had to concentrate on westernizing the lives of its subjects, even to the point of enduring the humiliations of the Meiji Rokumeikan Era.

During the Meiji era, our predecessors fought with their blood to boldly deny the past. They felt attracted to the rationalism and international universalism of early modern Europe, based on Bacon's assertion that "knowledge is power," and strove for the globalization of Japan. We must not deny that fact.

It was only because of this that Japan was able to liberate itself from its insular lifestyle and emerge as one of the leading peoples in world history, and even if there were some excesses in this process, it was an unavoidable part of the inevitable process of history. We cannot deny the fact that our forefathers, despite their excesses, received the baptism of European culture in a pure and humble manner, and that is the reason why Japan today has become an independent leading nation, different from China and India, with a global mission. The history of the Meiji era was not simply a history of errors to be cleared up.

However, this does not lead us to conclude that the period from the end of the Taisho era to the Showa era was the beginning of a new era of construction and improvement that had its impetus in the Meiji era. No matter how generously we look at it, we cannot deny that contradictory aspects of excess and stagnation appeared, accompanied by the corruption of the nation.

The goal of the education of the intellectual class was focused on "how to get away from being Japanese," and it was thought that to be nationalist or ethnic was reactionary and even a disgrace to the cultured person. For a long time, the selection of intellectuals was based on "how Western" their thoughts and lives were.

In such an atmosphere, it was foolish to grasp the spirit of the founding of the Japanese nation. Even the thought of the purity of the Japanese nation's history was destroyed, and all things related to the Japanese spirit were driven into oblivion. At the podiums of the highest academic institutions, the "Emperor's Organization Theory" was lectured on without any hesitation, to the point where no awe or wonder could be felt. Cynical and shallow imitations of American and British culture abounded, and corrupt journalism further incited and fostered such imitations, to the point of knowing no end.

In the midst of this situation arose the Manchurian Incident, followed by the Second Sino-Japanese War, which stimulated, awakened, and elevated the national instincts of the Japanese people. This, together with the global trend of totalitarian ideology, sparked a serious study of Japanese culture and the Japanese spirit, and finally opened the door for the penetration of the true meaning of national identity.

For the Japanese world of ideas, which had been under the weight of European foreign ideas for a long time, the tide of Japan-centrism that broke out with the calls to "return to the spirit of the founding of the Japanese nation" and "reaffirm the Japanese homeland" was a truly spiritual and historical dawn that shone through the dark night for those who sought its growth. After many years of pilgrimages to foreign ideas, we have finally returned to Japan, the homeland of our souls, and the Greater East Asian War broke out on the eve of the explosion of our unavoidable national desire to seek the majesty and grandeur of the Japanese spirit itself.

Our country, with its long historical tradition since the time of the gods, may have been completely westernized on the outside, but its inner essence had not been lost. It resembles an iceberg floating in the northern oceans.

The iceberg may appear in a very small form, but it has infinite latent power. Once an iceberg collides with something, the latent force that has been submerged under the surface of the water suddenly becomes manifest and exerts an irrational and mysterious power. This is exactly how the Manchurian Incident occurred. In addition to the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Greater East Asia War, the power of the great iceberg has continued to be exerted more and more.

However, just as aviation heroes need excellent airplanes, in order to win this great battle, it is not permissible to rely only on irrational and mysterious powers. The time has come for us to establish a high-minded Japanese worldview that is unbeatable and indestructible, to cultivate the fundamentals of the true meaning of national identity, to give courage to the will, joy to the emotions, and insight to the intellect, and to make it the final unifying principle of all our activities.

Source: https://archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-02-24

Reddit Link: 1943 Imperial Japanese editorial decries liberalism, individualistic humanism, rationalism, international universalism, and Marxist materialism of the West for corrupting Japan, and calls for a "high-minded Japanese worldview" and reliance on "irrational and mysterious powers" of the Japanese spirit : badphilosophy (reddit.com)

(Transcription)

京城日報　昭和十八年二月二十四日

国体の本義と道義半島（三）

鎌田沢一郎

今こそ過去否定の時代
高邁なる日本的世界観樹立へ

翻って思うに明治開国以来の我国の思潮は、西欧商業革命以来の思潮の主流を追うて、次第に近世自由主義の特徴を具備して来ったのであるが、西欧近世の自由主義は人間生活の機械化であり、物質の無限的発展の約束であり、その上に豪華な資本主義文明を構築することであった。

かくてルネッサンスに発源し、宗教改革に於いて華を開き、米国の独立と、仏蘭西の政治改革と、さらにロシアの社会革命とに実を結んだ啓蒙個人主義的ヒューマニズムこそは、神を否定した近代精神が当然赴くところであり、従って静的な停滞的な社会は喧噪な動的な発展的な社会に代わり、本来共同的な社会が、利益社会に代わり、自然的な社会に対して権利の社会、契約の社会が現れ、信仰の社会に対して科学の社会が現れ、神の王国が葬られて、知識の王国が樹立せられたのである。

人々は高き魂の要求、或いは神的価値を忘却して、ただ物的価値とその諸々の技巧手段による増加とのみに最大の価値をもつに至り、そのことは自由主義の行き詰まりによって展開されたるマルキシズムの唯物史観に於いて、さらに一段露骨なる鋒鋩を現すに至ったのである。殊に徳川封建社会の封鎖政策のため、近世資本主義文明の進展に一歩遅れをとった我国においては、あらゆる部面において欧羅巴の水準を追いつくということが仕事であり、課題となり、たとえば鹿鳴館時代のごとき屈辱を敢えて忍んでまで、その国民生活の西欧化に熱中しなければならなかった。

さりとて、われらの先覚が血によって闘いとった明治時代の大胆なる過去否定と、「知識は力也」とのベーコンの主張によるヨーロッパ近世の合理主義、国際的普遍主義に魅力を感じ、日本の世界水準化を目ざして邁進した勇気と実践をまで否定してはならない。

これあってこそ狭い日本が島国的生活から自己を開放して世界史的指導民族の一つとして登場することが出来たのであり、そこに多少の行き過ぎはあったとしても、それは歴史の必然的過程の一断面として、むしろやむを得ざるもの。われわれの父祖達は、かかる行き過ぎを犯してまで、飽くまで謙虚な態度もて純真にヨーロッパ文化の洗礼を受けたればこそ、今日の日本が支那や印度と異なった独立的な指導国家として世界的使命を担うものになり得た事実を否定することは出来ない。明治の歴史は決して単に清算さるべき誤謬の歴史ではなかったのである。

しかし乍ら大正の末期より昭和にかけては、この明治の余勢を駆って建設向上の一路を踏み来ったものとの理解には到達し得ない。如何に贔屓目に見るも、そこには行き過ぎと停滞の矛盾の相が現れ、民族の堕落さえ伴って来たことは否定し得ない。

知識階級の教養の目標の如きは「如何にして日本人であることから離れること」にあるかに集中せられ、国民的、民族的であることこそ即ち反動的であり、文化人の恥辱であるとさえ考えられ、久しきに亘り彼等知識的選良を以て任ずる人々の思想と生活は「如何にして西欧的であるか」に根拠を置いていたのである。

かかる雰囲気の中にあっては、肇国の精神を把握することは愚か、国史の純潔を誇る思惟すら滅却され、日本精神のあらゆるものが、忘却の彼方に追いやられて、最高学府の講壇では平然として「天皇機関説」が講義せられて何等の不可思議すら感ぜざる程に立至り、巷には皮相浅薄なる米英文化の模倣が充満し堕落したジャーナリズムはさらに一層それを扇動助長して停止するところを知らざる有様となった。

かかるさ中に勃発した満州事変引き継ぐ支那事変こそは日本人の民族本能を異常に刺激し、覚醒し、高揚せしめた。これが世界的風潮としての全体主義的な思想と相俟って日本文化、日本精神の真剣な研究は、その口火を切られ、国体の本義透徹の門戸はようやくにして開かれんとする端緒に到達した。

久しくヨーロッパ的外来思想の重圧下にあった日本の思想界にとって「肇国の精神に還れ」「祖国を再認識せよ」の声とともに、ここに勃発として動く日本主義の潮流は、その生長を希求するものにとって暗々たる夜色を通じて輝き出でたる真に精神史的な黎明であり、外来思想への多年の遍歴ののち、ようやく魂の故郷日本へ帰り、日本精神そのものの中に荘厳偉列なものを希求せんとする、やむにやまれぬ民族的欲望が、その爆発の前夜にあるところへ、大東亜戦争が突発したのである。

まことに神代以来悠久なる歴史伝統を有する我国は、たとい外面的には西欧化し尽くしたかに見えていても、その内面的本質は、これを失ってはいなかったのである。それは恰も北氷洋上に悠然と浮遊する氷山にも似ているのである。

氷山は、現るるその姿は僅少であって、無限の潜勢力を有している。一度氷山が何物かに衝突する場合、今まで水面下に沈積されていた潜勢力は忽ち顕勢力となって、むしろ非合理不可思議なる力を発揮する。満州事変はまさに、かくのごとくにして起ったのである。さらに支那事変、大東亜戦争と、ひきつづき大氷山の威力は多々益々発揚されてやまぬものがある。

しかし乍ら恰も航空勇士に優秀なる飛行機が必要なるごとく、この大決戦に勝ち抜く為には、ただ非合理不可思議なる力にのみ信倚することは許されない。完勝と壮大なる大建設を目ざし、今こそ必勝不壊にして且つ高邁なる日本的世界観を樹立し、国体の本義に徹するの根本を培い、意志には勇気を感情には歓喜を、知性には達観を与えて、一切の活動の最後の統一原理たるの性格を備えしめなければならぬ時期こそは到来したのである。

1943 Editorial: nature is an object of love in Japan, while nature is an object of conquest in the West, which is why the early Scientific revolution started in the West

 

The True Meaning of National Identity and the Righteous Peninsula (4)

The "Way" Penetrating the Reality of History
The Japanese Nation Connected to Blood and Soil

by Sawaichiro Kamata

As I have already mentioned, the creation of the Japanese worldview is the result of a commitment to the true meaning of national identity. In other words, it is a clear way that the reality of national history can show us. Therein lies a great characteristic that is unparalleled in any other worldview. It is something that can be demonstrated through 2,600 years of history, and the reality of the nation state itself is a clear demonstration of this. It is not an abstract spiritual field, but a truth that can be thoroughly grasped through the "Way" that exists in national history.

It is said that the environment dominates man. This is the reason why the issue of "blood and soil" is always mentioned when discussing the worldviews of ethnic groups. If peoples continue to live in the same climatic environment while forming a close community, it is natural that their thoughts will be constrained and their ways of thinking will become similar and embrace similar ideals during the passage of time.

In the course of this contoured and integrated society, a common and shared "spirit" will naturally develop and be typified as a national spirit. This is the basic spirit that inevitably emerges from the living structure of the nation to ensure its independent survival. It is this spirit that permeates each and every member of the nation and manifests its unique worldview.

In this sense, the nature of Shinshu, which has given birth to the excellent history of Japan, the national identity of Japan, and the Japanese worldview, must first of all be the mother of all things. The thought and life of the Japanese people, which have been created and developed in the midst of this great nature, must be the "beginning" of every Japanese spirit and fundamental philosophy.

There emerges a Japanese worldview in which nature and people are not seen as opposites, but as one. This will soon become a characteristic of thinking of all East Asia. The love of nature, the immersion in nature, and the maintenance of life in full embrace with nature are the outstanding virtues of the Japanese climate that nurtured the characteristics of Japanese feelings.

In the Egyptian and Babylonian cultures, which were the roots of Western culture, the continental character of the people meant that they were always under the intimidation of nature, which, unlike the natural environment in Japan, was not only not an object of love, but also something fearful that fought people. This is also evident in the way each group of people gather food to sustain their lives. In Japan, known as the Land of Abundant Reeds, the management of settled agriculture was already established in ancient times, and the five grains were planted and gathered as staple food. In stark contrast, we can see that, in the West, nomadic livestock was raised by searching for water and grass, and their livelihood was based on milk, meat, and skin.

In other words, in order to obtain food from a certain land through settled agriculture, we must first love the soil. To love the soil is to love and appreciate nature as a whole. In contrast to the Japanese way of life, which achieves the goal of a bountiful harvest by loving nature, Westerners go out to the countryside with their livestock or by scaling the steep mountains to seek water and letting them eat the grass, or by moving on to let them eat at the next meadow. By confronting and conquering nature, they have been able to maintain their lives.

The basic organization of the fundamental development of life, which is based on the way of loving and integrating with nature, or based on the way of confronting nature, is the fundamental difference between the ideological lives of Japan and the West, and also between East and West, the East also including China, India, and other countries where the same settled agriculture based on arable land has mainly developed. This fundamental difference has also led East and West to have their respective strengths and weaknesses.

I have to interject with a funny story here. Once, in Europe, our diplomatic mission played host to a Mid-Autumn Moon viewing party.

The Japanese hosts set up a ceremonial altar on the balcony, laid out straw mattresses, arranged soot and grass, offered dumplings, and waited for the guests to arrive, fully adopting the Japanese customs and practices of their home country. However, all the Westerners showed up carrying telescopes in their hands.

In other words, even at the same moon viewing party, there was a significant difference between the Japanese and the Westerners. There is no need to explain that this is the result of the emotional bias of one side and the scientific bias of the other side.

In other words, science is based on the premise of conflict between nature and man. Therefore, this idea was born from the basic direction that life is in conflict with nature. Moon viewing means observing the moon with a telescope. When it comes to climbing a mountain, the Easterner would climb a mountain at a leisurely pace carrying a gourd, burning autumn leaves in the forest and relaxing with a drink of sake in Oriental elegance. In contrast, the Westerner would choose the most treacherous rocky mountain and bask in the pride of conquering it by rock climbing. This difference is the best explanation of this fundamental principle. 

In the East, nature is an object of love, but for them, nature is an object of exploration, analysis, and conquest. Therefore, it is only natural that natural sciences, such as mathematical thought and astronomy, developed from there and gradually led to the establishment of early modern scientific civilization.

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 25, 1943

Translated from source: https://archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-02-25

Reddit Link: 1943 Editorial from Imperial Japan: nature is an object of love in Japan, while nature is an object of conquest in the West, which is why the early Scientific revolution started in the West : badphilosophy (reddit.com)

(Transcription)

京城日報　昭和十八年二月二十五日

国体の本義と道義半島（四）

歴史の現実に貫く『道』
血と土に繋がる日本民族

鎌田沢一郎

日本的世界観の肇造こそは、国体の本義に徹するところ自ら発生し来ることは前述した。即ち国史の現実が示し来れる昭かなる道である。そこに他の如何なる世界観にも類例を見ない偉大なる特徴が存在する。それは二千六百年の歴史を実証し来れるものであり、現に国家の現実そのものがこれを如実に示しているのである。それは抽象的な精神的分野のうちに存するのでなく、国史に実存する『道』を通じて脈々把握せらるる真実なのである。

環境は人間を支配するという。民族の世界観が論じられる場合、まず『血と土』の問題を採り、挙げられる所以は茲にある。民族が緊密なる共同体を形成しながら、同じ風土環境に生活しつづけるならば、悠久なる時間の経過の間には、その思惟は制約され、思考の方法は類似し同様な理想を抱擁するに至ることは当然である。

この輪郭的な綜合社会の裡に、自然成長的に、共通な共同な『こころ』が、かたち作られて民族精神として類型化される。之は民族が独立的な生存をする為の生活的構造から必然的に滲み出して来た基本的な精神である。そしてこの精神こそはこの民族を構成する各人を貫き、そこに特有の世界観を顕現する。

この意味において、その優秀なる日本の歴史、日本の国体、日本的世界観を産み出したる神州の自然こそは先ずあらゆるものの母胎でなければならぬ。その大自然の裡に生成発展し来りたる日本人の思想と生活こそは、あらゆる日本精神の『はじめ』であり、根本の哲理であらねばならぬ。

かくて自然と人とを対立的に考えないで、一体に見るという日本的世界観が出現する。このことはやがて全東洋的な物の考え方の特徴をもなして居るのであって、自然を愛し、自然に没入し、自然との全き抱合の裡に生活を保持し来ったことは日本的感情の特性を養った日本的風土のもつすぐれたる美点である。

西欧文化の根元であったエジプトやバビロニアに於いては、その大陸的風格の為につねに大自然の威圧下にあって、そこでは日本の自然環境とは似もやらず自然は愛好の対象とならないのみか、それは愕然と人に対峙していたのである。このことは夫々の集団に於いて生命維持の為の食物採集の手段の上にも現れ『豊葦原瑞穂の国』と言われたわが国が、太古に於いてすでに定着農業の経営が創始され、五穀を植えて、これを採集して主食となし来りたるに比し、西欧に於いては遊牧により水と草を求めて家畜を養い、その乳と肉と皮とによって生活の構成を遂げ来った相違の上に濃厚なる区分を見出される。

即ち定着農業により、一定の土地より食物を得んが為には、まずその土を愛さねばならぬ。土を愛することは同時に自然全体を愛し、かつ感謝することである。自然を愛することによって五穀豊穣の目的を達する日本的生活設計に対して、彼ら西欧人は家畜を伴って或いは嶮峻なる山岳を攀じて彼方の里に出で、その草を征服せしめては水を求め、又つぎの草原を食っては移動するに至っては、つねに自然と対立し、これを征服することによって、その生命は維持され来ったのであった。

その自然を愛し、これに融合して行くという行き方と、自然に対峙するという行き方の根本的なる生活発生の基本組織こそ日本と西欧、ひいては同じ耕地定着農業の主として発達した支那、印度等をふくめての東洋と西洋の思想生活の根本的な相違点であり、且つ各々の特長と欠陥を夫々に保有するに至ったのである。

これについての微笑しき一挿話がある。嘗て欧州において、わが在外公館が主人役となり、中秋明月の鑑賞会をひらいたことがある。

主人役の日本側はバルコニーに祭壇を設け、真菰を敷き、すすき、刈萱を活け、団子を供え、故国の風習行事を全面的にとり入れて賓客を待っていたところ、彼等西欧人の来客全部が手に手に望遠鏡を持って現れたのであった。

即ち同じ月見の宴でも、日本人と西欧人には、これほどの隔たりがある。一方は情緒的に、一方はただ科学的にのみ偏しての結果であること別に説明を要すまい。

即ち科学は自然対人間の対立を前提とする。即ち生活が自然と対立することの基本的方向より、この理念は生れ来ったのである。月見ということは、望遠鏡によって月体を観測することであり、同じ登山にしても、東洋では一瓢を携えて悠々山に登り、林間紅葉を焚いて酒を緩むる風雅に対し、彼は最も峻嶮なる岩山をわざわざ選択してロッククライミングによって征服する誇りとする相違が、最もよくこの根本義を説明して居る。

即ち東洋においては自然は愛の対象であるに拘わらず彼等にとっては探求、分析、克服の対象である。従ってそこからまず数学思想や、天文学等の自然科学が発達の萌芽をみせ、次第に近世科学文明を築き上ぐるに至ったことは当然としなければならない。

1943 Editorial: the Imperial Way embraces the "freedom" of democracy, the "unity and authority" of Mussolini's Fascism, and the "ethnic totalitarian world view" of Hitler's Nazism, achieving a "complete and active freedom" by obeying the authority of the Japanese God-Man

 

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 27, 1943

The True Meaning of National Identity and the Righteous Peninsula (6)

Sawaichiro Kamata
Manifestation of the Great Harmonic Order of the Universe
The Mission of the Japanese People is to Support the Work of Heaven

As I have described previously, under objective circumstances, the Japanese people have come to realize how precious is the land on which they stand. In other words, the struggle against the historical environment that we are currently facing has gradually promoted this awareness.

I have come to realize that by thinking distantly back to the days of the founding of the Imperial State and recalling its majesty and lofty ideals, we as the Japanese people living in this turbulent present world can be inspired with new hope and unyielding courage.

Mussolini's Fascism and Hitler's Nazism share a marked backwardness in the face of our imperial principles and a general sense of "unity" and "integration". Although there are significant commonalities that we share with the two, their fundamental essences are completely different, and I have come to realize that these differences are far more extensive and far greater than previously thought. Indeed, the Nazis have followed Japan's example and made great strides. As Hitler often said, "Japan's national identity and the Japanese spirit" are the object of admiration even among Germans, and Barnes, the author of The Universal Aspects of Fascism, said, "Japan is the ideal country of fascism". The fact that Mussolini envies the purity of the Japanese nation is, I think, a confirmation of this fact.

Whatever they observe, our country is neither a mere ethnic totalitarian state nor a dictatorship. It is an absolute state where the people are united as one, where the moral and biological relationship between parent and child, bound by blood, is deepened and refined, and where the relationship between the Emperor and his subjects is revered to the point of virtue. The Emperor, as the Great Parent, embodies the life of the universe, and wishes to perfect the natural qualities of each of the people, so that they may all attain those qualities. The people of this nation are united in the spirit of a billion trillions, and support the emperor in his empire of heavenly deeds. The heavenly work is to complete our country as a true "family nation," to indoctrinate and guide the people, who are suffering from the afflictions of the weak and the strong, to help them build a "world family" internally, and to manifest the great harmonious order of the universe.

Moreover, the only creed of democracy, "freedom," the "unity and authority" of Fascism, and the "ethnic totalitarian world view" of Nazism are all embraced in our Imperial Way with positive significance. In other words, in the Imperial Way, power and freedom are completely integrated through the Emperor's authority, forming an ideal political form unparalleled in the world. It is a complete and active freedom to return to and obey the authority of His Majesty the Emperor, the God of Man, through loyalty. In addition, we do not need to explain now that a unified national community with a parent-child relationship with the present God is superior to any kind of totalitarianism.

I have already mentioned that the nature of Shinshu is the mother of the Japanese nation, which has been in existence for 3,000 years. We must clearly recognize the true Japanese spirit through the "life" that our ancestors lived in the midst of this great nature. In other words, this worldview is a daily consciousness in direct and immediate relation to one's own living position, and as long as this is the case, the worldview must be defined by the mode of existence of life as its foundation. In other words, the self-reflection and self-awareness of the life of the nation must form the basis of the worldview of the Japanese nation.

In general, the structure of human life is determined by both nature and history, which are given to us. Needless to say, nature is the natural mother that makes human existence possible. Human beings can survive by maintaining a continuous and constant negotiation with it. However, as the natural and climatic conditions vary from one place to another, the structural form of life nurtured therein also changes. The worldview cannot be unrelated to or unaffected by this. This is why it is said that blood and soil are the inevitable constraints on the worldview. However, it is natural that the Germanic peoples have a Germanic worldview and the Japanese peoples have a Japanese worldview. The worldview as an expression of the life of a particular nation must be placed in a close and inseparable relationship with the nation that adheres to it.

The Greek worldview, the Indian worldview, the Chinese worldview, etc., all have their own peculiarities, and their characteristics clearly express and reflect their ethnic and racial characteristics. The Greeks are said to be subjectivist, the Indians meditative and religious, and the Chinese willful and logical. Certain wordviews have been established in accordance with these unique ethnicities. In Greece, an intellectual theoretical character was created; in India, a Buddhism with a meditative character was materialized; and in China, a practical logic with a subjective initiative as represented by Confucianism was presented. In other words, it is an expression of the unique essence of the nation, its spatial definition, and its historical destiny, based on the motivation to live that is the bond between nature and the ethnic nation.

Thus, the Japanese view of the world has also been concretely expressed in various aspects of life, showing the essential connection between blood, soil, and history. And in each of these aspects of life, distinctive demands have been submitted.

Source: https://archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-02-27

Reddit Link: 1943 Editorial from Imperial Japan: the Imperial Way embraces the "freedom" of democracy, the "unity and authority" of Mussolini's Fascism, and the "ethnic totalitarian world view" of Hitler's Nazism, achieving a "complete and active freedom" by obeying the authority of the Japanese God-Man : badphilosophy (reddit.com)

(Transcription)

京城日報　昭和十八年二月二十七日

国体の本義と道義半島（六）

鎌田沢一郎
宇宙の大調和的秩序顕現
天業扶翼こそ日本臣民の使命

前述の如き客観情勢下に於いて日本国民は画然として己れ自身の立つ日本の国土が、如何に尊貴であるかを知るに至った。即ち現に直面している歴史的環境との力闘が次第にその自覚を促し来ったのである。

遠く思いを皇国創業の昔に寄せ、その雄渾なる皇籍と高遠なる大理想とに想到することによって、この激動する現世に生活する日本人としての、新しい希望と不屈の覇気とを湧き上がらせることが出来ることを知るに至った。

ムッソリーニのファッシズムもヒトラーのナチズムも、わが皇道原理の前には著しき後進性を示し且つは又『結束』と『綜合』を示す全体感において、その共通の著しきものあるも、その本質に於いては全く異なり、さらに遥かに広く、遥かに大なるものであることを認識するとともにナチスの如きはむしろ日本を模範として邁進し来ったものであり、ヒトラーもしばしば口にするごとく『日本の国体および日本精神』こそは独逸人にとっても讃仰の対象であり、また『ファッシズムの普遍性』の著者バーンズが『日本こそファッシズムの理想国である』といい、ムッソリーニが日本国家純一性を羨望することに於いても、この事実を裏書きすることが出来ると思う。

彼らの観察することがいずれともあれ、我国は単なる民族的全体国家でも、独裁国家でもない。君民一体の絶対国家であり、血に依って結ばれた親子の道義的並びに生物学的関係が深化洗練せられ、そのままに天皇と臣民との大義名分関係まで崇められ、天皇は大御親として宇宙生命を体現せられ、国民各自の天分素質を完成し、彼らをして皆その質を得せしめんと念願し給う。国民は億兆心を一にして、天皇の遂行し給う天業の経綸を扶翼する。天業とは我国を真の『家族国家』として完成せしむると共に、弱肉強食に悩む各国民を教化誘導し、彼らをして内面的に『世界家族』を建設せしめ、以て宇宙の大調和的秩序を顕現せしめんとするにある。

しかも民主主義の主張する唯一の信条たる『自由』もまたファッシズムの『結束と権威』も、ナチズムの『民族全体主義世界観』も我が皇道の裡にはすべて積極的意義を以て抱合されて居る。即ち皇道に於いては権力と自由とが天皇の御稜威を媒介として完全に統合し、世界に比類なき理想的政治形態を形成し、現人神たる天皇陛下の御稜威に忠を通じて帰一信順して行くとは、完全積極的なる自由である。また現人神と親子の関係に於いて純化統一されたる民族共同体こそは如何なる全体主義にも優るべきと今さら絮説を要せぬところであろう。

神州の自然が、悠久三千年、万邦無比の日本国体を産む母胎であったことは前述した。その大自然の裡にわれらの祖先が営んで来た『生活』を通じても、われらは真の日本精神を明確に認識把握せなければならぬ。即ち世界観こそは人の生活的立場から直接即自の関係に於いて日常的意識であるからであり、その限り世界観もその成立地盤たる生活の存在様式に規定せられざるを得ないからである。即ち民族生活の自己省察、自己認識として構成せらるるものこそ民族世界観の根柢をなすものでならねばならぬ。

総じて人間の生活は、与えられたる自然と歴史の両者によって、その構造が決定されるのである。いうまでもなく自然は人間の生存を可能ならしめる自然的な母胎である。人間はそれに対して持続的なる一定の交渉を保つことによって存続することが出来る。しかるにこの自然的風土的状況は千差万別であることによって、そこに育成される生活の構造的形態にも変化がある。世界観はそれと無関係であり、無影響であることは出来ない。今日特に高調せられていることは、世界観を必然的に制約するものは血と土であるとする所以はそこにある。しかしでゲルマン民族はゲルマン的世界観を、日本民族は日本的世界観を有していることは当然である。特定民族の生活の表現としての世界観はこれを信奉する民族と密接不離の関係に置かれねばならないのである。

ギリシャ的世界観、印度的世界観、支那的世界観など皆夫々特有の趣きを持って居り、その特色はそれぞれの民族たり、人種的な性格を判然と表現し反映して居る。ギリシャ人は主知主義的に、印度人は瞑想的宗教的に、支那人は意志的にして論理的と言われたが、この特有な独自の民族性に応じて一定の世界観が樹立され来ったのである。ギリシャに於いては知的な理論的性格が生み出され、印度に於いては瞑想的な性格を荷ぶ仏教が具体化され、支那に於いては儒教に於いて代表される主意主導的な実践論理としての色彩を帯びたものが示されたのは、即ち自然と民族の紐帯たる生活意欲を基として、民族独特の本質、その空間的規定、その歴史的運命の表現に外ならないからである。

かくして日本的世界観もまた血と土と、歴史とに本質的な連関を示し乍ら、様々な生活面に於いて具体的に表現され来って居る。そしてその生活相の側面に於いて特色ある要求を提出して来た。