CLAUSEWITZ BIBLIOGRAPHY: JAPANESE

LINKS

OTHER SOURCES

Library of Congress's on-line catalog

BOOKS from AMAZON.CO.JP

LINKS

Image:CwzJapan.gif Clausewitz in Japan Website

The Clausewitz Society of Japan http://www.clausewitz-jp.com/english/peges/links.html

Clausewitz at InfoSeek Japan http://clausewitz.at.infoseek.co.jp/

Amazon.com Japan (Requires Japanese Fonts) http://www.amazon.co.jp/

Image:Sayaka.jpg SecurityGirl.Net by Sayaka Chatani

OTHER SOURCES

Michael Howard (citing Hahlweg's introduction to the 16th German edition, 52) noted in his introductory essay to On War ("The Influence of On War"), 37-38, that Vom Kriege's publisher, Dummlers Verlag, sent an advanced copy of the fifth edition to Japanese General Count Jamemoto Kuroki (18441923) in 1904. Kuroki, victor over Russia in the battle of the Yalu, responded that Clausewitz's work had already been translated into Japanese and had been a significant influence on Japan's conduct of the war. Just which work of Clausewitz-and which translation-Kuroki was referring to is problematical. Some Japanese officers being trained in Germany became familiar with Clausewitz c.1887. At some point, a Japanese translation of the Principles of War was made, evidently based on a French translation: Taisen gakuri, published by the Gunji Kyoiku Kai (Association for Military Education) in 1903 if not before.

On War itself was translated by Mori Ogai (a medical oficer in the Imperial Army better known as a novelist and poet), as Senso ron beginning in 1899. Mori had earlier (1888) translated portions of the book orally at the request of Japanese officers in Germany. Mori produced copies, but it does not appear to have been officially published as a book; parts of it appeared as a serial in a local newspaper, Moji Shinpo, in February-May, 1904. Shimada Kinji, Amerika Ni Okeru Akiyama Saneyuk (Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1975), 252-253.) It appears in Mori's collected works.

There appear to be at least two other Japanese translations of On War: Karl von Clausewitz, trans. Shinoda Hideo, Senso ron (Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, date uncertain), 3 vols. [Encyclopedia Japonica (Tokyo: Shogakugan, 1968), v.6, p273]; trans. Tantoku Saburo, Senso ron, Genda in No Tame No Koten Sirizu 10 (Tokyo: Tokuma Shoten, 1965).

There are a number of major commentaries: Hasegawa Keitaro, "Senso ron" o yomu: Ima naze Krausewittu ka, kaku no jidai no senso to seiji no tetsugaku ("Essay on `On War' with practical application to today's society," evidently a businessman's guide), Nijuisseiki Toshokan (Tokyo: PHP Kenkyujo, 1983); Ohashi Takeo, "Senso ron" Kaisetsu: "Senso ron" to Senshi (Commentary on On War) (Tokyo: Nihon Kogyo Shinbunsha, 1983). (Translations courtesy Sumiko Otsubo of OSU, 1990.)

There is also a reference in a German bibliography to three works in Japanese, but the information is sketchy and it is not clear whether they are articles (as seems most likely) or books. Translated into English, the three works are:

1. Goda, Yutaka. The Life of Carl von Clausewitz. Tokyo, 1982.

2. Ido, Mitsuaki. The Foreword of the Work, On War. Tokyo, 1982.

3. Ohhashi, Takeo. Explanations of the Foreword to On War. Tokyo, 1982.

See also Yugo Asano, "Influences of the Thought of Clausewitz on Japan since the Meiji Restoration," in Ulrich de Maizière (Hrsg), Freiheit ohne Krieg. Beiträge zur Strategie-Diskussion der Gegenwart im Spiegel der Theorie von Carl von Clausewitz, Bonn: Dümmlers Verlag, 1980, pp.379-396.

Library of Congress's on-line catalog

We found 5 references in the Library of Congress's on-line catalog to items in Japanese related to Clausewitz:

1. Kurauzevittsu no heigaku, 1942, Sakabe Goro cho, call number U21.C55516 1942.

2. Wa-Kan-Yo tosui yodan. [16 i.e. 1941] 2, 2, 3, 306 p. illus. 19 cm. Romanized, call number U102.O48.

3. Vom Kriege. Japanese Taisen gakuri / Theorié de la grande guerre. Kurauzevittsu cho. Tokyo : Gunji Kyoikukai, Meiji 34-36 [1901-1903] 8 v. ; 23 cm. Vol. 3-8 has parallel title: Theorié de la grande guerre. Vol. 1-2: translated by Mori Rintaro in 1903, from German: Ueber den Krieg. Vol. 3-8: translated by Rikugun Shikan Gakko in 1901, from French translation: Theorié de la grande guerre. Vol. 1-2 published in 1903. Vol. 5: 1907 printing; v. 5-8: 1908 printing. LC copy imperfect: v. 6, pt. 1-2, t.p. wanting; v. 1-2, t.p. and all after p. 210 wanting. 1-2. Senso no honshitsu - 3. Senryaku hen - 4. Sento hen - 5. Heiryoku hen - 6. Shusei, sangaku bogyo - 7-8. Kosei hen. Call number U21.C55516 1901.

4. Kurauzevittsu no angobun. Hirose Takashi. Tokyo : Shinchosha, 1984. 283, [2] p. : ill. ; 20 cm. Bibliography: p. [284]. Call number U21.2 .H55 1984.

5. "Sensoron" o yomu Hasegawa Keitaro. Kyoto : PHP Kenkyujo, 1983. 226 p. : ill. ; 18 cm. Series: Nijuisseiki toshokan ; 0027. Call number U102.C6643 H37 1983.