Chronology of Events and Publications

1839– 42 Opium War 1853, 1854 Arrival of Commodore Perry

Meiji Period (1868–1912) 1868 The Meiji “Restoration” 1869 Construction of the Yasukuni Shrine 1870 Planting of cherry trees at the Yasukuni Shrine by Kido First navy and army uniforms with blooming cherries in their insignia 1872 Universal conscription adopted 1881 Elementary school songs (cherry blossoms as cultural nationalism) 1882 The Imperial Rescript to Soldiers (Gunjin Chokugo) 1883 Emergence of elementary school songs with the emperor-centered ideology 1887 More elementary school songs with the emperor-centered ideology 1889 The Constitution of Imperial Japan (Dai-Nihon Teikoku Kenpo¯) Tsubouchi Sho¯yo¯’s school text (published 1900): Cherry blossoms as a symbol of cultural nationalism 1890 The Imperial Rescript on Education (Kyo¯iku Chokugo) 1891 Term gyokusai (scattering like a shattered crystal ball) appears in songs 1894 –95 Sino-Japanese War 1894 “Falling Cherry Blossoms for the Emperor” (Sasaki Nobutsuna’s song text) 1904 –5 Russo-Japanese War 1905 Korea becomes protectorate of Japan 1908 Japanese translation of Nitobe’s Bushido¯: The Soul of Japan 1910 Korea annexed

xv xvi Chronology

Taisho¯Period (1912–26) 1914 –18 World War I

Sho¯wa Period (1926 – 89) 1930 “Cherry blossom textbook” (published 1932) 1931 Manchurian Incident 1932 established Shanghai Incident Cogito launched (journal of Japan Romantic School) 1933 –35 The History of the Loyal Souls at the Yasukuni Shrine published 1933 Hitler’s rise to power 1934 Hitler becomes führer and chancellor 1934 – 41 Ultra-nationalistic version of The Forty-Seven Loyal Retainers (Genroku Chu¯shingura) 1935 Minobe Tatsukichi expelled from government (proponent of the “organ theory” of the emperor) 1937 Kokutai no Hongi (Principles of the national polity) published “Umi Yukaba” (Die for the emperor at sea and mountains) Lukowkiao Incident 1938 “Do¯ki no Sakura” (The cherry blossoms of the same class) (revised, 1942) 1941 Pearl Harbor (December 8) 1942 Film version of The Forty-Seven Loyal Retainers by Mizoguchi Japan’s defeat at Midway (June 5) 1943 Japan’s retreat from Guadalcanal (February 5) First drafting of 25,000 university “graduates” (October 21) Drafting of 6,000 to 10,000 “student soldiers” (December) 1944 To¯jo¯ Cabinet dissolved (July 18) First tokko¯tai attack at the Bay of Leyte (October 25) 1945 Bombing of (March 9, 10) American landing on Okinawa (April 1) Germany surrenders (May 7) Atomic Bomb on (August 6) Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki (August 9) Japan surrenders (August 14)