Humanitarian Cooperation Between Japan and India: Past and Present

Abstract

The article presents an analysis of the history and current state of humanitarian contacts between Japan and India. The factors of religious and cultural community, as well as contacts between prominent philosophers and cultural figures due to the proximity of worldview concepts are studied. Special focus is placed upon the history of Indian independence fighters’ stay in Japan in the first half of the 20th century, as well as the position of India and its individual representatives on the issue of post-war settlement with Japan. The article examines how the common cultural and historical points are highlighted in the rhetoric of Japanese officials nowadays.

In particular, it is worth noting the two countries’ appeal to the ideas of BuddhistHindu unity as an attempt to unite Asian countries on this basis for cooperation on global issues. An analysis of the activities and rhetoric of Japanese prime ministers allows us to conclude that the greatest attention to the humanitarian aspects of bilateral relations was paid by S. Abe, who had a special sympathy for India. S. Abe was also known for his revisionist sentiments and desire to rid Japan of its post-war guilt complex, and attention to certain Indian figures, such as Subhas Chandra Bose and Radhabinod Pal, corresponded to the spirit of this policy.

The article also touches upon the peculiarities of cultural interaction between the two countries, in particular, popularization of Japanese pop culture and sports. Attention is given to education promotion, which is the key area of bilateral humanitarian cooperation today. Japan is currently emphasizing the promotion of Japanese language teaching in India, as well as programs in technical education and invitation of Indian specialists to Japan. A brief overview of the life of the Indian diaspora in Japan is carried out, which generally enjoys a favourable attitude of the locals. The combination of the efforts of the governments of both countries and the favourable ground formed as a result of religious and cultural proximity and the absence of negative experience associated with the Second World War create a solid foundation for strengthening mutual sympathy, which is reflected in the results of the survey of the population of the two countries.