Summary:

Juha Saunavaara, Who does have the right to interpret the East? – The emphasis of the otherness and uniqueness of Japan by American Japan specialists 1942 – 1952

There are many roles involved in any encounter with the other. Although the simplest model could consist of only the one who is encountering and the one who is being encountered, in practice, this role differentiation is often more diversified. Despite the difficulties concerning the measurement of otherness and unfamiliarity, one can still consider it as a relative quality. Some things are more unfamiliar or less alike for one person than they are for another. Furthermore, certain individuals are sometimes recognized as experts and authorities. These experts can convince not only themselves, but also others of their understanding of the phenomenon that is unfamiliar to the masses. Thus, the responsibility of an expert is often to explain and interpret the meaning and characteristics of the unfamiliar other to the ignorant masses. In one sense these experts are standing on the border between us, that is what is well-known, and the other that is unknown. These experts should have an insight into the other, and yet they should be able to interpret it from the perspective of an objective outsider.

This article attempts to explain the role of the American Japan specialists in the drafting and implementation of the Allied occupation policy for Japan. Emphasis is also placed on questions like: What aims did these experts have? How did these experts apply to their knowledge of Japan and their status as experts when they argued on behalf of their participation and the correctness of the statements they made? How were these experts criticized? Although the hypothesis suggesting that one’s expertise was a salient argument pleaded by individuals and groups did not turn out to be fully accurate, this article demonstrates that the American Japan experts played a significant, yet controversial role, especially at the time of the planning of the occupation.