SS Japan project EQ : Who is the “other” and how should we treat them?

Who is the “other” and how should we treat them?

When the Portuguese arrived in Japan, a new era began throughout Japan. This is the first time Japan is in line with the Western world. Since then, "others" have appeared in Japan, which are the the foreign culture and foreign people. How could we treat them? That is a problem to Japan. Two different leaders in the Medieval Japan period gave two totally different answer.

The first leader is Oda Nobunaga, one of the three great leader of Sengoku period. From the PPT in class, we know that Oda Nobunaga is kind to foreign culture and foreign people. He loved foreign culture and foreign technology(gun). He opened a port for foreign people. He also opened a church in Kyoto. He is the first Japanese leader who use guns. Those shows that he treat foreign culture kind.

The second leader is Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of three great leader of Sengoku period. He is different to the Nobunaga, especially the way to treat foreign people and culture. After the Honoji, Toyotomi Hidiyoshi become the leader of Japan. From the article, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the 1587 Edicts against the Christian, Hideyoshi issued an edict banning missionaries from the country due to the religion's political ambitions, intolerant behavior towards Shinto and Buddhism. In the next years, Hideyoshi proclaimed a more serious banning edict and executed 26 Christians in Nagasaki as a warning. That shows that Hideyoshi treat foreign badly.

In this regard, my view is to seek common ground while reserving differences. The two leaders, Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, both have their own reasons for their action. Nobunaga want technology and a good diplomacy. Hideyoshi want the national sovereignty. Their actions are correct and incorrect. Nobunaga courted the Portuguese Jesuits in return for the secrets of European firearms, that strengthen the Japan’s fight ability. Hideyoshi issued an edict that banned Christianity from Japan, that cleared the spy in Japan, enhanced national self-confidence and national sovereignty. Nobunaga have the power, because of his tolerant. Hideyoshi enhanced national self-confidence and national sovereignty, because of his non-tolerant.

At the last, I want to end up with one common word in Chinese “求同存异”. Seek common ground while reserving differences. Absorb advantages and improve disadvantages.

“Christianity.” In Japan, https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2298.html.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the 1587 Edicts against ... - JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44001284.