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Jack London Reporting from Tokyo and Manchuria: the Forgotten Role of An Educating Minds and Hearts to Change the World A publication of the University of San Francisco Center for the Volume VIII ∙ Number 1 June ∙ 2008 Pacific Rim Copyright 2008 Jack London Reporting from Tokyo and Manchuria: The Forgotten Role of an Editors Influential Observer of Early Modern Asia Joaquin Gonzalez >>...........................................................Daniel A. Métraux 1 John Nelson Gender Ideology Crossing Borders: A ‘Traditional’ Spouse in the U.S. Editorial Consultants International Migration Context Barbara K. Bundy Hartmut Fischer >>............................................................Suzanne M. Sinke 7 Patrick L. Hatcher The Redefinition of Japan’s National Security Policy: Security Threats, Domestic Editorial Board Uldis Kruze Interests, and a Realist-Liberal Approach Man-lui Lau >>............................................Elena Atanassova-Cornelis 17 Mark Mir Noriko Nagata Stephen Roddy The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO): An Asian NATO? Kyoko Suda Bruce Wydick >>........................................................................Loro Horta 30 America, Don’t Count on Our ‘Followership’ >>.....................................................Masahiro Matsumura 36 Asia Pacific: Perspectives Asia Pacific: Perspectives is a peer-reviewed journal published at least once a year, usually in April/May. It Center for the Pacific Rim welcomes submissions from all fields of the social sciences and the humanities with relevance to the Asia Pacific 2130 Fulton St region.* In keeping with the Jesuit traditions of the University of San Francisco, Asia Pacific: Perspectives com- San Francisco, CA mits itself to the highest standards of learning and scholarship. 94117-1080 Our task is to inform public opinion by a broad hospitality to divergent views and ideas that promote cross-cul- Tel: (415) 422-6357 Fax: (415) 422-5933 tural understanding, tolerance, and the dissemination of knowledge unreservedly. Papers adopting a compara- [email protected] tive, interdisciplinary approach will be especially welcome. Graduate students are strongly encouraged to submit their work for consideration. * ‘Asia Pacific region’ as used here includes East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Oceania, and the Russian Far East. Downloaded from http://www.pacificrim.usfca.edu/research/perspectives USF Center for the Pacific Rim Asia Pacific: Perspectives ∙ June 2008 a day. A great many collections of his essays appeared during his lifetime, but, oddly, he never published his Asian essays except for a couple in other anthologies. A much later collec- Jack London Reporting tion of his journalism essays1 includes some of his war corre- from Tokyo and Manchuria: spondence in Asia and Mexico, mixed in with his avid sports reporting, but makes no effort to actually highlight London’s The Forgotten Role of an Asian pieces. A full in-depth study of London’s Asian writ- ings would be an invaluable contribution to the field of early Influential Observer of Early modern East Asian history. Modern Asia It is important to note, however, that London was much more of a journalist, novelist, and essayist than a scholar By Daniel A. Métraux, Ph.D. of Asian affairs. He was certainly not ignorant of the com- plexities of Asian culture and history. A dedicated reader of Abstract scholarly works on Asia, he also consumed everything he Jack London is regarded as one of America’s most popular writers for his could find by writers like Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904), whose novels and short stories. Less known today is the fact that he was also a work he lavished with praise in his essays. London very cor- first-rate observer of East Asian politics, societies, and peoples. Working rectly focuses on the role that China’s conservative governing as a journalist for several newspapers and magazines, he filed numerous articles and essays covering the Russo-Japanese war and even foresaw “learned classes” had on slowing the modernization of the the rise of Japan and China as world powers. This paper provides an country. London writes that China would only progress when overview of his journalistic and literary contributions about Asia, his its masses rose up and overthrew their masters. On the other insights into Asian ethnic and political complexities, and his vision for hand, London formulated several stereotypical views of vari- pan-Asian/American cooperation. ous Asian societies that left out certain important elements. For example, he wrote that the Japanese were a nation of war- Jack London (1876-1916) remains one of the most popular riors who decried commerce, totally ignoring the critical role and beloved American writers nearly a century after his death. of the merchant class throughout Japanese history.2 He is famous for his adventure stories in the Yukon, Polynesia London made two trips to Japan and East Asia during his and across America, but he was also a renowned socialist and brief lifetime. In 1893, at age 17, he signed on to the sealing fabled journalist whose brilliant work The People of the Abyss schooner Sophie Sutherland, bound for the coast of Japan. He depicts the poverty and squalor of the low end of life in the spent a raucous time in the Bonin Islands and had a chance to capital of the British Empire. What is certainly less known explore Yokohama when his ship stopped there on its return about Jack London is that he was also a first-rate observer to San Francisco.3 London vividly describes the trip itself of Asia. His journalistic coverage of the Russo-Japanese War in his acclaimed novel The Sea Wolf, but does not mention (1904-1905) and his essays and short stories provide not only anything in the novel about his stops in the Bonin Islands, excellent coverage of the war, but also a detailed view of social Tokyo and Yokohama while on the voyage. After his return and political conditions in East Asia at the turn of the last cen- he wrote several short stories based on his time in Tokyo and tury. What makes London even more interesting is his ability Yokohama including “Story of a Typhoon,” “Sakaicho, Hona to discern the potential power of both Japan and China and to Asi and Hakadaki,” “A Night’s Swim in Yeddo Bay,” and “O predict their rise to dominance later in the twentieth century. Haru.”4 These stories reflect a deep affection for Japan and its London’s firsthand essays and photographs on the people, especially those from the lower classes. They are also Russo-Japanese War present a very clear in-depth picture of among the first pieces composed by the young writer. the early phase of the conflict. He filed at least twenty-four London demonstrated his ability to depict the lives of or- articles, each several thousand words long, to the Hearst dinary Japanese in “OHaru” where he described the Japanese newspapers. He not only presents his own views of the de- geisha: velopment of the war, but also analyzes the development of The geishas or dancing-girls are the brightest, most intelligent Korea, Japan, and China in their struggle to modernize and and most accomplished of Japanese women. Chosen for their thus defend themselves from the onslaught of Western impe- beauty they are educated from childhood. Not only are they rialism. London’s Russo-Japanese War articles, if ever pub- trained in all the seductive graces of the dance and of personal attraction; but also in singing, music, and the intricate etiquette lished as an anthology, might well be the best contemporary of serving and entertaining; nor are their minds neglected, for work on the subject. His analyses of East Asian development, in wit, intelligence and repartee, they excell. In short, the whole especially his views on the down-trodden state of China and aim of their education is to make them artistically fascinat- its potential for greatness, are especially perceptive. London ing. In class, they occupy much the same position as do our made uncanny predictions of a future Japanese invasion first actresses, and though many are frail beauties that grace the tea house festivals, here and there will be found gems of the purest of Manchuria and later China and of China’s rise as a world luster.5 power. Any student of early twentieth century Asian Studies would do well to read London’s insightful analyses that cover A decade later, when he had already achieved fame as political, economic, social and cultural themes. a novelist and short story writer, he became the premier London was a very prolific essayist and fiction writer American correspondent covering the Russo-Japanese War.6 who prided himself on composing at least a thousand words His services as war correspondent and photographer for the http://www.pacificrim.usfca.edu/research/perspectives Jack London Reporting / Métraux ∙ 1 USF Center for the Pacific Rim Asia Pacific: Perspectives ∙ June 2008 forthcoming conflict between Japan and Russia had been when many of his fellow Californians had developed a strong sought by Collier’s, the New York Herald, Harper’s Magazine, sense of racial prejudice against Asians, especially those and the Hearst Press.7 The latter had made the best offer and Japanese and Chinese immigrants who had settled in the San going off to war had definite advantages for him besides -fi Francisco area and elsewhere. London on occasion reflected nancial gain. He would be well-paid, have a splendid adven- some of these prejudices in his novels and essays, especially ture, and would be able to develop considerable material for when he was writing about Koreans, but he more often shows future novels and stories. genuine sympathy and respect for the Asians he encountered. London was both a keen observer and, as already noted, In that sense, most of London’s writing differs greatly from hugely prolific writer. The only Western reporter to reach the the anti-Asian diatribes found in many newspaper articles front in northern Korea, along the Yalu River, and later in and books of the period.
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