Ethnic nationalism in Japan
Ethnic nationalism in Japan or minzoku nationalism means nationalism that is espoused by members of Japan's dominant Yamato people or ethnic minorities.
In present-day Japan, statistics only count the size of their population in terms of nationality, rather than ethnicity, thus, the number of ethnic Yamato and the actual size of their community are ambiguous.
Dominant ethnic-centered nationalism
"Japanese ethnic nationalism" is related to minzoku, the Japanese word that translates to "people", "ethnic group", and "nation". Minzoku does not originally mean "race" in the general sense, and jinshu means "race", but some Japanese nationalists also use minzoku in a closer sense to "race"; Taro Aso, Yasuhiro Nakasone has called Japan a "one race" or "one minzoku". Prominent Japanese politicians have often kindled controversies by invoking the images of Japanese racial superiority.''Minzoku-ha''
Minzoku-ha is a Japanese ethno-nationalist faction that emerged after postwar Japan. Minzoku-ha is considered to be the categories of Uyoku dantai.''Nihonjinron''
Nihonjinron is a genre of historical and literary work that focuses on issues of Japanese national and cultural identity.Yamato nationalism
"Yamato nationalism" is an based on "Yamato people", the dominant population group in Japan.During the Empire of Japan, Yamato nationalism is inspired most Japanese soldiers and civilians at the time and made Japanese people feel racially superior to the Chinese people. Today, Yamato nationalism is deeply linked to xenophobic sentiment toward minority races/ethnic groups; due to the influence of Yamato nationalism, Zainichi Koreans who moved to Empire of Japan forcibly or voluntarily during the colonial Korea period and lived in Japan were not granted "citizenship" even after 1945.
Ainu nationalism
"Ainu nationalism" is a means of asserting Ainu rights over ancestral land and today has been adopted as the favored term for Hokkaido.The Ainu Party is a political party that represents Ainu rights in Japan; it advocates Ainu "nationalism" and "multiculturalism". Ainu Party supports post-nuclear, designating Ainu as an official language, and opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Ainu Revolution Theory
The Ainu Revolution Theory was a left-wing political concept in 1970s Japan, notably advanced by thinker Ota Ryu. It posited that the Ainu people, perceived as living in a primitive communist system, could spearhead a proletarian revolution.Okinawan nationalism
"Okinawan nationalism" claims the Ryukyuan people' own identity, also called "Okinawan people". Okinawan nationalism started when the Empire of Japan opposed the destruction of Ryukyu Kingdom and incorporation into its territory. Therefore, while Okinawan nationalism is deeply linked to the Ryukyu nationalism. However, not all Okinawan nationalists are Ryukyu nationalists; Ryukyu nationalists refer to separatists from Japan, but some Okinawan nationalists value regional rights within Japan.Modern Okinawa nationalism often manifests itself through negative views of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma bases on the Ryukyu Islands. It is also often manifested by local leftists who oppose Japanese nationalism.
is a representative nationalist organization that requests the demolition of MCAS Futenma.
Ryukyu nationalism
The Ryukyu independence movement reflects ethnic tensions in Japan, with some Ryukyuans seeking sovereignty due to historical annexation and U.S. military presence, though most prefer autonomy over full independence.Historical
The Empire of Japan included Korea, Taiwan, and other colonies. In the colonies, there were anti-colonial nationalists who argued for "national self-determination" against Japanese imperialism.Korean nationalism
Early "Korean nationalism" emerged in the form of "resistance nationalism".Traditionally, the concept of Japanese ethnic nationalism "blood" was emphasized. This form of nationalism was dominant in Empire of Japan and also influenced Korean ethnic nationalism.
Theory of self-governance
Some Korean nationalists, such as Yi Gwangsu and Choe Nam-seon, insisted on "theory of self-governance" rather than independence from Japan. They were criticized as pro-Japanese collaborators by radical nationalists who supported independence at the time.Manchurian nationalism
Invading China through the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Empire of Japan established a puppet state called Manchukuo. They promoted "Manchurian nationalism" in the Manchuria.Taiwanese/Chinese nationalism
During the Taiwan under Japan rule, the "Taiwanese nationalism" was stimulated to some extent. However, Taiwanese identities were more complicated at the time, with some campaigning for independence based on Taiwanese nationalism, while others opposed Japanese rule using Chinese nationalism and identity, desiring re-annexation back to China. This identity is reflected by the Taiwanese People's Party, whose platform adopted the Three Principles of the People, and along with it Chinese nationalism and Kuomintang-style socialism.Mao Zedong was an early supporter of Taiwanese independence, telling Edgar Snow in the 1930s that the Chinese Communist Party would lend "our enthusiastic help in their struggle for independence." He changed this position only after the Nationalists started claiming Taiwan with the Cairo Declaration. The Taiwanese Communist Party also emphasized "Taiwanese nation" rather than "Chinese nation". Taiwanese identity favouring separation from China was strengthened by the February 28 incident that took place under Kuomintang after the end of Japanese colonial rule.
Despite its history of colonial rule, Taiwan's anti-Japanese sentiment today is known to be significantly lower than that of Korea, because Empire of Japan guaranteed Taiwan relatively more autonomy compared to Korea.