The aim of my dissertation is to situate Japanese imperialism during the period 1895-1931 within an evolving transnational culture of imperialism that was dominated by the Western colonial powers, but in which Japan was also an active participant.  How did Japan deploy Western imperial discourses and what did its expansion add to the global, trans-imperial culture of the time? Drawing on Homi Bhabha’s concept of “colonial mimesis,” I will argue that analogously to the relationship between coloniser and colonised described by Bhabha, Japan’s imitation of Western imperialism exposed the ambivalence of Western discourses of civilisation and destabilised the Western colonial order. At the same time, Japan’s interactions with Western imperialisms strongly influenced the character of its colonial rule and the rhetoric used to justify it.

In this paper, I will explore these themes in relation to colonial exhibits at various early 20^th century expositions, both within Japan and internationally. Special attention will be given to the Japan-British Exhibition of 1910, in which Japan was especially keen on spreading a favourable impression of its colonial rule in preparation for the annexation of Korea that same year. This exposition is a useful site for both analysing Japan’s use of colonial discourse and measuring British opinions of Japanese imperialism.  In addition, I will draw parallels with the Japanese government’s presentation of its empire to its own people in domestic exhibitions, notably the Colonisation Exposition (Takushoku Hakurankai) of 1912 that was held in Tokyo.  This will allow me to gauge to what extent Japanese mimesis of Western imperial discourses influenced domestic imperial propaganda, as opposed to rhetoric aimed at shaping international public opinion.