The Occidental images of Japan that Yukichi Fukuzawa had imagined

In the late 1870s Yukichi Fukuzawa claimed that Japan must have its own domestic order compatible with the coming new international order so that Japan could be independent in the world. Fukuzawa had predicted and apprehended the possible difficulties resulting from impending permeation of the Occidental civilization over into Japan, however, he had not referred to with what images of Japan the Occidental Powers came to Japan to knock on its door. This article attempts to find out what Fukuzawa had imagined of the Occidental images of Japan in the Meiji era by analyzing the history of negotiation with the Occidental Powers for the Treaty Revision carried out by the Meiji Imperial Government of Japan, and Fukuzawa's opinion on this issue. Fukuzawa led the public opinion on how to cope with this issue by his editorial articles on JIJI SHIMPO watching how the government's negotiation for the Treaty Revision developed. The writer thinks both are good resources abundant in the information we need