In the heart of Holland Park, a cascade tumbles down to a pond with Koi, surrounded by plants in intricate patterns. There is a very definite feeling of not being in London.

This exotic place, the Kyoto Garden, symbolises the long-term friendship between Britain and Japan. On 17 September 1991, the then Prince of Wales and Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan opened the garden to celebrate the growing ties between the two countries and mark the centenary of the British Japan Society. The development of British-Japanese relations is intriguing, considering their geographical and cultural remoteness. Indeed, they had a shaky start.

Around the turn of the 20th century, prejudices against East Asians were prevalent in Western societies. The term “the Yellow Peril” was widely used to depict the perceived threat, both economically and militarily, from the people of East Asia. Another disrespectful word, “Jap” was commonly seen in newspapers as the British people were unaware that using the abbreviation could upset the Japanese, who had strict etiquette. “I do not know whether I should be flattered or offended.” the Japanese novelist Natsume Sōseki wrote in his Letter from London in 1901 after encountering two men calling him “A handsome Jap”.

Arthur Diósy, the founder of the Japan Society, dedicated himself to clearing up the misunderstanding and forming a sound public opinion. While he was regarded as a Japanophilia, which could make his opinion somewhat favor Japan on East Asian issues, his view on the crux of prejudices remains relevant today.

Building relations with distant countries was onerous in a time without jets and the Net. Diósy explained that the general public, or even the government, was forced to rely on the expatriates’ experience. Japan, for instance, was portrayed by travellers as a scenic land inhabited by people who were apt at assimilating Western civilisation. Similarly, China was an enormous market with a high population and abundant resources in the eyes of Western merchants.

The bias was strong, all the more so because the expatriates ignored the very notions of East Asian people. Diósy said “the great majority of western commercial settlers” had isolated themselves from the local people. They lacked “deep interest in their surroundings,” such as the actual character, language, beliefs, and feelings of the local community, as well as how these forces were operating to shape the development of East Asia. “The majority of Occidentals, and especially of Britons, were misinformed.” He stated.

Thus, Diósy established the Japan Society in 1891. Since then, the Society has held frequent meetings, allowing Japanese and European experts to address the public on various topics related to Japan. Besides, the discussions were published in the Society’s Transactions and Proceedings to reach a wider audience.

Moreover, the Society contributed to the bilateral relations through charity. Following the devastating earthquake in Japan in 1896, the organization raised a fund of £3,895—almost tripled the total contribution from other European countries—to aid the Japanese. In return, Japan generously donated to help the victims of the great famine in India, which was still under British rule, in 1897.

So, what can Diósy teach us? Today, not lacking sources of information, modern society is bombarded by Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok with fragmented and addictive info that drives out the good. Not only do we amuse ourselves to death, but we rely on tweets, photos, and clips in an echo chamber to form our understanding of the world, similar to the expatriates staying at their cozy homes with hardly any deep interest in the local community in the nineteenth century. While being a scholar may be too demanding, a start to leave the comfort zone by approaching people with diverse backgrounds would help.

Further readings:

Natsume Soseki, The Tower of London

Arthur Diósy, The New Far East