在ワシントン日本公使館の形成 --吉田清成駐米公使時代を中心に--

Abstract

本研究は、吉田清成(1845-1891)の駐米公使時代(1874-1882)に焦点を当て、当時の在米日本公使館のあり方を明らかにしようとするものである。まず、公使館という建物・場について、立地や規模、その貸借や購入の経緯を明らかにし、また館員の職務や生活にも目を向け、他国公使館との比較を通じ、日本公使館の立ち位置を考察する。続いて米国の新聞を用い、吉田ら公使館員の社交活動を追う。欧米基準のワシントン社交界において、彼らは如何に振る舞ったのか、欧米社会は彼らに対して如何なる視線を向けたのか、特に女性の服装やその評価基準に注目して検討する。その際、対欧米だけでなく、トルコやハイチ、ハワイ等の公使らと日本公使館との交際も視野に入れる。これらを通じ、万国公法体制下、「半開国」とされた日本政府の公使吉田が、いかなる国際社会認識、すなわち「文明国」および非「文明国」をどのように捉えていたのか、という研究課題を提起する。

This paper discusses the Japanese legation in Washington D.C. in the term of Yoshida Kiyonari (1845–1891) as the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary. First, the site of the legation, its size, the process of purchasing, and duties or lifestyle of legation officers were examined. The position of the Japanese legation in the society of diplomats in Washington was examined in comparison with the legations of other nations. Next, based on reports in American newspaper articles, the behavior of Yoshida and others in the Japanese legation in the society of Washington is discussed. How they acted and how they were seen by westerners were investigated. Reports referring to the clothes of ladies and evaluation were analyzed in detail. In addition, this paper also focuses on not only the relations with western nations, but on non-western nations, such as Turkey, Haiti, and Hawaii. Examination of the above cases raised questions regarding how Yoshida, who was the envoy of a nation referred to as “half-barbarous, ” considered the community of nations, the ideas of “civilized” and “half-barbarous” nations, and how to regard international law.