International Law and Japanese Sovereignty: The Emerging Global Order in the 19th Century

Abstract

It was in the 19th century that international society organized, laying the foundations of the modern international order. This was also the time when Japan ventured into modernity and pushed its way into the ranks of the great powers by conforming to Western norms of international society. International Law and Japanese Sovereignty: The Emerging Global Order in the 19th Century by Douglas Howland is a laudable book which examines Japan’s relations with international society from the mid-19th to the early 20th century, focusing on several international incidents that Japan engaged, the unequal treaties, the international administrative unions (hereafter international organizations), and the laws of war. Howland’s thesis is that examining how Japan confronted international law is essential to understanding the international order in the 19th century. By mastering international law and proactively putting it into practice, Japan not only affected the international order in East Asia but also played a role in the establishment of the world order in the 20th century (p. 3). In light of Japan’s diplomacy during this period, how should one interpret the developments in the 19th-century international order and changes in the concept of sovereignty? How did Meiji Japan effectively use international law? Howland’s main themes center around these questions.

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