Following introductory chapters on Japan's historic lovehate relationship with China, the author--doyen of comparative literature at Tokyo University--goes on to explore his subject under five main themes: (1) Europeanization Fever and Conservative Reaction, which includes a discussion on Samuel Smiles' Self-Help, the best-selling guidebook for Meiji Japan's modernization; (2) From War to Peace, which includes an analysis of Takeyama Michio's Harp of Burma and the image of former British enemies; (3) Attempt at Reciprocal Elucidation, which includes an appraisal of the Divine Comedy from a Japanese perspective; (4) Lafcadio Hearn's Understanding of the Ghostly World of the Japanese, including a chapter on animistic belief and its use in Japanese literature; and (5) Japanese Writers Between East and West, including an evaluation of Takamura Kotaro's love-hate relationship with the West.

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Following introductory chapters on Japan's historic lovehate relationship with China, the author--doyen of comparative literature at Tokyo University--goes on to explore his subject under five main themes: (1) Europeanization Fever and Conservative Reaction, which includes a discussion on Samuel Smiles' Self-Help, the best-selling guidebook for Meiji Japan's modernization; (2) From War to Peace, which includes an analysis of Takeyama Michio's Harp of Burma and the image of former British enemies; (3) Attempt at Reciprocal Elucidation, which includes an appraisal of the Divine Comedy from a Japanese perspective; (4) Lafcadio Hearn's Understanding of the Ghostly World of the Japanese, including a chapter on animistic belief and its use in Japanese literature; and (5) Japanese Writers Between East and West, including an evaluation of Takamura Kotaro's love-hate relationship with the West.