Asianism by the time of WW2

  The concept of "Regionalism" is nothing new.
Regionalism in Asia, or Asianism, has existed around the time when European colonialism expanded the power towards East, around late 19C and early 20C.
At first, East Asian nations - Japan, Korea, China, were in solidarity to combat colonizers.
An Jung Geun 안중근, a Korean independence activist, stated that "if Japan, China and Korea join together and resist the Western forces, it will be possible to overcome the crisis.
Japan at that time was proactive in supporting China's peaceful revolution led by Sun Yat-sen to overthrow Qing dynasty. Famous Japanese figures such as Inukai Tsuyoshi and Miyazaki Toten were prominent supporters.

  However, as Japan grew more power after defeating Qing (Sino-Japanese war) in 1895 and gaining victory in Russo-Japanese war 1905, "Asianism" transformed into Japan as the captain of the region.
Okakura Tenshin, Japanese scholar, insisted that "Japan is the essence of the Asian values". Indeed, Japan underwent a dramatic evolution, from Samurai society into modernized lifestyle. They embraced science, profound academics, modern political structure and technology in early stages. Nevertheless, many important politicians, intellectuals and especially military in Japan lacked the understanding of Nationalism among Asian nations. Sadly, some decision makers took the idea of Asianism onto their own interests, conducting the idea without dialogues with other entities. Early 20C was an era that many ideologies emerged. There was Fascism, Communism, Capitalism (lead earlier by the West), Liberalism and Nationalism. Among these Japan tried to surmount them and integrate with its own agenda of Asianism.

(Picture: Japanese soldier in Russo-Japanese war against Russia)

  As Japan expanded its power, forming the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere", many nations including Korea (not yet separated until 1948) resisted Japanese military advancement. Each nation was filled with emotional anti-Japanese nationalism and patriotism, deeply connected with local ethnicity, culture and land. Japan as a unilateral actor sought both cooperative and confronting strategies toward the West, especially when USA started to gain power on the world stage. Ultimately, the cruel war ended, and Japan was defeated by 2 tragic atomic bombs (A-bombs).

  "Asianism" in the pre-World War 2 era can be roughly understood as the counter-act against Globalism led by Western power. It was a resistance against colonialism and invasion. In modern days, these types of military coercion is no more, and Asia may well seek peaceful ties with other regions such as EU or forming an additional identity as "Asian-Pacific" region together with North America and Oceania. Today Japan still plays an important role in Asia, mainly as generous donor of development. South Korea and Japan has maintained peaceful ties in recent decades and the 2 countries are important collaborators in many aspects. The original idea of Asianism has gradually been realized in a sense.