Books

First edition of this landmark geopolitical analysis, one of only 38 copies completed before it was suppressed and the author imprisoned. Completed 60 years before Commodore Perry's arrival, it first suggested that Japan could not remain isolated and needed an outward-facing military policy and modernized weaponry. Today, eight copies survive institutionally; this is the only copy traced at auction. In the late 18th century, Japanese intellectual society was electrified by the discovery of a letter from the exiled Hungarian aristocrat Count Maurice Benyovszky to a Dutch factory trader in Nagasaki, thanking him for provisioning Benyovszky's ship and describing Russian plans for an attack on Hokkaido and its neighboring islands. While the count's claims concerning Russia were wildly incorrect, in Japan his warnings "started a new type of thinking about the problems of war. Apart from two abortive attempts by the Mongols to invade the country in the thirteenth century, Japan had never known the fear of attack from abroad, and military defense planning had been confined to problems that might arise in such internal warfare as had beset the country before the establishment of peace in 1600. The sudden revelation of an external threat to Japan necessitated a great change in strategy, and led to serious agitation in favor of increased military preparations" (Keene 1969, p. 35). Hayashi Shihei's (1738-1793) Kaikoku heidan was by far the most important product of this new intellectual climate. His core thesis, posited at a time when Japan did not have a single armed naval vessel, was that Japan must strengthen its coastal defenses in the face of mounting threats not only from Russia - he specifically cites the Benyovszky letter - but also China: "military preparation for Japan means a knowledge of how to repel foreign invaders, a vital consideration at present. The way to do this is by naval warfare; the essential factor in naval warfare is guns. To be well prepared in both respects is the true requisite of Japanese defense. only when naval warfare has been mastered should land warfare be considered" (translated in Keene 2006, p. 147). The printing and distribution of the work's 16 parts was drawn out over a number of years due to Hayashi's financial poverty. The preface by the scholar Kudo Heisuke (1734-1800) and the author's preface and first postscript are all dated Tenmei 6 (1786), while the final volume colophon listing the calligrapher and the engraver is dated Kansei 3 (1791). Hayashi endorsed each copy with various red seals, here found at the beginning and end of each of the three bound volumes. In the eyes of the shogunate, Hayashi's public criticisms were "inimical to the internal security of the state" (Keene 1969, p. 44). In 1791, when only 38 complete copies of an intended 1,000 had been printed and bound, Hayashi was denounced for spreading falsehoods and incarcerated in Edo; he then lived under house arrest in Sendai until his death. Copies of Kaikoku heidan were burned, while the blocks were confiscated. The work would not be published again for another six decades. Provenance: "Awa no kuni bunko" seals of the aristocratic Hachisuka family of Awa; "Getsumeiso" and "Kobunso" seals of the Japanese bibliophile Sorimachi Shigeo (1901-1991); sold by Sorimachi to the American collectors Donald and Mary Hyde (1909-1966; 1912-2003), with their "Haido zosho" seal on the final leaf of each volume; Christie's New York, The Donald and Mary Hyde Collection of Japanese Books and Manuscripts Sold for the Benefit of the Pierpont Morgan Library, 7 October 1988, lot 132; private collection, UK. Overall, an attractive copy of an exceptionally scarce and truly prescient work. Institutional copies can be found in the Library of Congress, National Diet Library, Hiroshima University, Keio University, Kyoto University, Kyushu University, Tohoku University, and "Asano". Donald Keene, The Japanese Discovery of Europe, 1720-1830, 1969; idem, F.

"Kaikoku Heidan" (The Military Defence of a Maritime Nation) is a pivotal work by Shihei Hayashi, a Japanese scholar and strategist of the late 18th century. Written in 1786, this essay not only reflects the strategic and defensive concerns of Japan during the Edo period but also stands as a prescient analysis that foreshadowed the modernization and militarization of Japan leading up to the Meiji Restoration and beyond. In this essay, I will delve into the context, content, and legacy of "Kaikoku Heidan," exploring its significance in the annals of Japanese military and political history. Shihei Hayashi (1738–1793) was a samurai, scholar, and strategist who lived during a period of relative peace and isolation under the Tokugawa shogunate. Despite—or perhaps because of—Japan's isolationist sakoku policy, Hayashi was deeply concerned with the country's vulnerability to foreign threats, particularly after witnessing the ease with which the Russian Empire expanded into East Asia. "Kaikoku Heidan" was written as a response to these concerns, advocating for a strong maritime defense to protect Japan's shores. "Kaikoku Heidan" is notable for its forward-thinking analysis and recommendations. Hayashi argued that Japan's geographical isolation would not suffice as a defense against the advanced naval capabilities of Western powers. He proposed the establishment of a robust navy and the fortification of coastal defenses, emphasizing the strategic importance of controlling sea routes and safeguarding Japan's maritime interests. Hayashi's work was groundbreaking in its recognition of the need for Japan to engage with modern military technologies and tactics, a significant departure from the traditional samurai-centric warfare of the time. Hayashi also advocated for the study of Western sciences and military techniques, suggesting that Japan could strengthen itself by incorporating foreign advancements with its own traditions. This idea was radical in an era when foreign influence was often viewed with suspicion, if not outright hostility, by the ruling shogunate. Although initially ignored and even suppressed by the Tokugawa shogunate, who saw Hayashi's ideas as a threat to their power and the social order, "Kaikoku Heidan" gained recognition in the tumultuous years leading up to the Meiji Restoration. Hayashi's vision for a maritime defense strategy and an embrace of Western military technology anticipated the transformative policies of the Meiji period, which saw Japan rapidly modernize its military and become a formidable imperial power. The influence of "Kaikoku Heidan" extended beyond its military proposals. It contributed to a growing discourse on national policy and the need for Japan to adapt to prevent colonization by Western powers. Hayashi's work is often seen as part of the intellectual groundwork for the Meiji Restoration, reflecting a broader recognition among Japanese elites of the need for reform and opening to the world.