Fukuzawa Yukichi quotes

Fukuzawa Yukichi was a Japanese author, educator, and founder of Keio University. His writings played a major role in shaping modern Japanese society and promoting Western ideas during the Meiji period. He is remembered as one of the most influential thinkers in Japan’s transformation into a modern nation. Here are 15 of his quotes:

Therefore, to teach them [women] at least an outline of economics and law is the first requirement after giving them a general education. Figuratively speaking, it will be like providing the women of civilized society with a pocket dagger for self-protection.

Fukuzawa Yukichi

I think I have made it clear that I never intended to make enemies. But in an age when anti-foreign sentiment was running high, it was unavoidable that in my position as an advocate of open intercourse and free adoption of Western culture, I should make some adversaries.

Fukuzawa Yukichi

To recount the history of assassination since the beginning of our foreign intercourse - in the beginning, people simply hated the foreigners because all foreigners were "impure" men who should not be permitted to tread the sacred soil of Japan... As I have said before, I felt my life in greatest danger during the twelve or thirteen years around the period of the [Meiji] Restoration.

Fukuzawa Yukichi

Moreover, the argument for national polity, for Christianity, and for Confucianism... are also insufficient to bolster people's hearts. What, then, will? I say there is one thing: namely, to establish our goal and advance toward civilization... The way in which to preserve this independence cannot be sought anywhere except in civilization.

Fukuzawa Yukichi

The world is large.

Fukuzawa Yukichi

Whatever happens in the country, whatever warfare harasses our land, we will never relinquish our hold on Western learning. As long as this school of ours stands, Japan remains a civilized nation of the world.

Fukuzawa Yukichi

In its broad sense, civilization means not only comfort in daily necessities but also the refining of knowledge and the cultivation of virtue so as to elevate human life to a higher plane... It refers to the attainment of both material well-being and the elevation of the human spirit, [but] since what produces man's well-being and refinement is knowledge and virtue, civilization ultimately means the progress of man's knowledge and virtue.

Fukuzawa Yukichi

In its broad sense, civilization means not only comfort in daily necessities but also the refining of knowledge and the cultivation of virtue so as to elevate human life to a higher plane.

Fukuzawa Yukichi

Robbery and murder are the worst of human crimes; but in the West there are robbers and murderers. There are those who form cliques to vie for the reins of power and who, when deprived of that power, decry the injustice of it all. Even worse, international diplomacy is really based on the art of deception. Surveying the situation as a whole, all we can say is that there is a general prevalence of good over bad, but we can hardly call the situation perfect.

Fukuzawa Yukichi

Whatever happens in the country, whatever warfare harasses our land, we will never relinquish our hold on Western learning.

Fukuzawa Yukichi

Each individual man and each individual country, according to the principles of natural reason, is free from bondage.

Fukuzawa Yukichi

We do not have time to wait for the en­lightenment of our neighbors so that we can work together toward the development of Asia.

Fukuzawa Yukichi

Each individual man and each individual country, according to the principles of natural reason, is free from bondage. Consequently, if there is some threat that might infringe upon a country's freedom, then that country should not hesitate even to take up arms against all the countries of the world.

Fukuzawa Yukichi