Genghis Khan and The Mongols in Japanese Political History

Today, Japan's political culture is represented by peace-lover (pacifist), economic and aesthetic imagery. With the exception of certain historical periods, the Japanese archipelago is known for its many cultural values such as Samurai, Buddhism, Shintoism and ikebana as the cradle of aesthetics and art. On the other hand, the non-aesthetic and non-cultural concept that comes to mind with Japan is “kamikaze” (suicide bomber). The term appeared in Japanese political history during World War II, when the Japanese armies made suicide plunges from the air to the enemy's naval forces. However, the deep meaning and concept of kamikaze can be traced back to the history of Mongo-Japanese relations. Imperial historical literature in Japan brings us with the assertion that Genghis Khan was a Japanese. Moreover, Japan is also said to be the architect of Mongolian nationalism, which is shaped by the perception of Genghis Khan today.

Entitling the Japanese suicide operations as kamikaze towards the end of the Pacific War between the United States and Japan can be thought as an attempt to transmit a divine mission to these attacks. The divine meaning of the kamikaze for the Japanese brings along unstudied considerations. The main objective of this study is to reveal the contemporary impressions of Genghis Khan's legacy in Japan. This study deals with the phenomenon of Genghis Khan and his effects with an eclectic method, focusing on his effects on the politicalhistory of the Japanese rather than historical periodicity.