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Chapter 1 Japan’s Postwar Positivists The IHKM and YAKM Projects Criticism is the first duty of historical scholarship. . . . criticism, again criticism, and criticism once more. Keith Windschuttle Just Who Is This Itô Takashi? In the midst of the imposing edifices in Chiyoda-ku that house Japan’s bureaucratic elites stands the eight-story Shôyû Kaikan, the home of the Shôyû Kurabu. The Shôyû Kurabu had its genesis in the mid-Meiji period when a group from among all the counts and viscounts in the peerage formed the Shôyûkai to streamline and coordinate their selection process . All of those in these two ranks as well as the barons would elect those who would represent them in the first Diet session (1890).1 The Shôyûkai members who were elected then organized a political faction in the House of Peers, the Kenkyûkai (1891). In 1928, the Shôyû Kurabu was incorporated as a public interest body, drawing members from the Shôyûkai and the Kenkyûkai. In 1947, the postwar constitution abolished the peerage system and the House of Peers, leading to the demise of the Shôyûkai and the Kenkyûkai. The Shôyûkai then reconstituted itself as the Shôyû Kurabu. To get to Shôyû Kaikan, a five-minute walk from the Toranomon subway station, one will pass the Ministry of Education (now the Ministry of Education and Technology) building, to some a symbol of much that is wrong with postwar Japan. The Shôyû Kurabu, as the proprietor, occupies a suite of offices on the eighth floor and rents space on the other floors as well as parking stalls in the basement to support its activities. Since 1985, carrying out one of its most important charges, it has sought to promote an appreciation of Japanese language and culture, especially abroad, and has made a number of annual contributions to the Inter-­ University Center to fund five fellowships.2 It renewed its commitment in 2003. Another vital activity is carried out by the Research Division, which occupies a spacious office with, appropriately enough, a view of the Diet. — 10 Japan’s Postwar Positivists The major function of the Research Division is to publish documentary sources, preferably those donated by descendants of former members of the House of Peers.3 This function is overseen by managing director Ueda Yoriko , who is responsible for every step and aspect of the publication after the papers are donated.4 A “hands-on” managing director who also participates in transcribing, checking, and dating documents, liaison, and selecting the publishers, she also shares responsibility for the division’s budget. Her difficulties are multiplied manifold because the Research Division is in the processofputtingoutinclosesuccessionvaluablecollectionsofseveralimportant personages of the Meiji, Taishô, and early Shôwa periods: Yamagata Aritomo Kankei Monjo (YAKM); Shinagawa Yajirô Kankei Monjo (SYKM); Uehara Yûsaku Nikki (projected publication date, 2008); Mishima Yatarô [Tsûyô’s son] Kankei Monjo (Tokyo: Yamakawa Shuppansha, 2001); Den Kenjirô Nikki (projected publication date, 2008); and Kodama Hideo Kankei Monjo (publication date not yet determined).5 She is often seen carrying home an armload of galleys.6 I have been going to the Shôyû Kurabu once a week for half a day since the fall of 2000 to participate in its research activities. Prior to this, I had been meeting with Hirose Yoshihiro, formerly with Kensei Shiryôshitsu (Repository for Documents on Constitutional Government) (KS) National Diet Library, at Green Grass, a coffee shop in Iidabashi, to translate a variety of documents or to check transcriptions of YAKM done by others. Now twice a month following our weekly sessions, we would proceed to the Shôyû Kurabu to work with the researchers on the difficulties they had encountered during the week in reading documents in sôsho, though Hirose surely bears the major burden on this. It was on one of these Tuesdays in the fall of 2001 that Itô Takashi dropped in. I asked him how things were going and he replied with a grimace : “I am just overwhelmed by all the collections of documentary sources I’m working on, so I’m tired to my bones.” No sooner had he uttered those words than he turned to another Research Division regular, Ôkubo Yôko, and said, “I understand that the Yamao-ke papers survived the fire-bombings .7 Do you think your father (Ôkubo Toshihiro) can confirm this and if true, determine their whereabouts?”8 This from...

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