When William Langer published The Diplomacy of Imperialism in 1950, reviewers commented on the magnificent scope of his research. But they also praised his studiously unpartisan perspective, one, many argued, that could only have come from an American, inasmuch as every European scholar (no one even considered African or Asian ones) would carry a national bias in his work.
Toward a History Beyond Borders is a testament to how much the historical profession has progressed. Its chapters are meticulously researched studies by Japanese and Chinese scholars on an impressive range of controversies in both nations’ histories. Motegi Toshio examines their initial post-Meiji encounters, from the first Sino-Japanese Amity Agreement to disputes over control of the Ryukyus and Korea. Subsequent selections include Kawashima Shin's survey from the first Sino-Japanese War through the First World War; Liu Jie's, Hattori Ryūji's, and Higuchi Hidemi's analyses of the difficulties over Manchuria and Japan's continental...
