Discussion
On December 18, 2024, the last "Future of Japan in the Era of Post-Regional Studies, Future of Japan's Studies" X Distinguished Scholar Seminar was held in a hybrid format.
Approximately 40 participants offline and 20 via Zoom, Takashi Fujitani, Dr. David Chu Professor Emeritus in Asia-Pacific Studies and Professor Emeritus of History, University of Toronto gave a presentation on the theme of "Promise of Freedom: Rethinking Modernity through Japan."
The seminar was divided into three sections : 1) the lecture 2)the Conversation between Professor Fujitani and IJS (moderated by Professor Ji Hee Jung of IJS) and 3) Q/A.
The presenter explored the intersections of freedom, power, and imperial authority within the context of modern Japan's history and its colonial rule. It was divided into four main thematic sections: Historiography, Nation, Sovereign, and Empire, each of which examines how freedom operates as both a condition and a tool for power.
Professor Fujitani drew on critical concepts from notable thinkers such as J.S. Mill, John Locke, and Louis Althusser, while also referencing prominent Japanese intellectuals like Fukuzawa Yukichi. He explored the Meiji state's assertion of power through military conscription, nationalism, and subject-formation, analyzing how "freedom" was framed as a voluntary submission to the state's authority, echoing themes found in Western liberal traditions.
The presenter also addresses the notion of "sovereign subjectivity" by discussing the dual role of the subject as both a free agent and one subjected to imperial authority. Using examples from Japan’s wartime films and media, it illustrated how cinematic depictions reinforced imperial ideologies of freedom through submission. Concepts such as the "Emperor’s panoptic gaze" and Althusser’s idea of interpellation (the process by which individuals are called into subjecthood) underscore the role of symbolic power in shaping national identity and submission to imperial rule.
Professor Fujitani concluded with reflections on colonial management, the Asia-Pacific War, and the eventual "promise of freedom" that framed Japan’s imperial expansion. This epilogue raises questions about the enduring legacies of freedom, sovereignty, and empire in modern Japan and its colonies.
Lastly, a Q&A session followed. Questions included topics on freedom as a condition for the workings of power in relation to the recent imposition of Martial Law in South Korea, The similarity between Christiniantiy and the Emperor System in Japan and “popular authoritarianism.”
