南洋における日本人学校の動態(<特集>「近代日本の南方関与」 II )

Abstract

This article intends to clarify the educational aspect of Japan's relations with Southeast Asia, which was referred to as "Nanyo." Long-term Japanese residents of "Nanyo" who had children of school age were determined to send their children to Japanese School. However, because such a school was impossible to set up and maintain by themselves, they had to seek the cooperation of many other Japanese. They particularly needed the financial help of those who had been sent there for several years from their trading companies or banks. These short-term residents derived some benefits from the Japanese school, but its existence was not essential for them. If they had children of school age, they could leave them behind in Japan. In other words, the expectations of the long-term residents regarding the Japanese school were different from those who were there only temporarily. The dormitories of the Japanese school were different from those who were there only temporarily. The dormitories of the Japanese school played an important part in stabilizing the lives of the long-term residents because there were few Japanese schools in "Nanyo." One of the functions of the Japanese school was to remove the culture of "Nanyo" which the children of long-term residents had learned and instill in them firmly the Japanese culture. This did, however, provoke some cultural conflict.