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In the following I propose to survey research trends in the study of Japanese early modern history, in particular the history of Japanese foreign relations at the start of the early modern period, with a focus on the system of so-called “national seclusion” (sakoku). On an earlier occasion, in an article entitled “Development of Japanese: Studies on Sakoku (Closing the Country): A Survey “in this same Acia Asiatica (No. 22, 1972), I similarly reviewed currents in “national seclusion studies’ in Japan and research trends in the study of the history of Japanese foreign relations at the start of the early modern period with respect to research from the second half of the nineteenth century through to the late 1960’s. the present article may be regarded as a sequel to this earlier paper, and dealing chiefly with articles and books published by Japanese researches between 1070 and the early 1990’s and focusing primarily on the subject of the reexamination of “national seclusion” I have set out to summarize in my own way the currents and trends in Japanese research on the history of foreign relations during this period. The reader should note at the outset, however, that it has not been my intention to present an exhaustive review of every individual study pertaining to the subject at hand. |
