PEOPLE

What Modern Japanese Should Learn from Meiji Japan

Kato: I was surprised at the historical fact that a private company, rather than the state, was the first to import the world’s oldest and still in operation, the giant cantilever crane, which is an excellent piece of equipment.

Hashimoto: On site, they are colloquially known as hammerhead cranes, but the people who operate them take great pride in their work.

Kato: I was looking at an old book on the Nagasaki Shipyard and found a picture of a giant cantilever crane on the cover, which made me think that it had been a source of pride for the shipyard for a long time.

Hashimoto: I think people who operate large cranes, not just giant cantilever cranes, take pride in their work. After all, advanced techniques are required. They also need to be able to make calm decisions, fight against loneliness and have a strong sense of responsibility to ensure safety. Crane operators are the chosen ones.

Kato: I heard various stories from people who have been operating cranes for 60 years and was surprised at how much detail they really knew. They not only knew how to operate the cranes but also all the processes, who was working where and what kind of work was being done. I was keenly aware that this kind of work requires a broad perspective and in-depth knowledge.

I was also allowed to ride on the crane and experience a bit of operation, but the view of Nagasaki Bay from above was wonderful and has left a lasting impression on me. The Giant Cantilever Crane is the pride of Mitsubishi and Nagasaki.

Hashimoto: I think so.

Kato: However, the passion that the local people had when they looked at Nagasaki and our passion for the history of the modernization of Meiji Japan were two different things, so you must have had a hard time reconciling the two.　It was also at a time when Nagasaki Prefecture was also focusing its efforts on the World Heritage registration of the Christian Churches, which was already underway at the time.

Hashimoto: I was never directly told anything about it, but they were initially puzzled about the idea of an industrial heritage site, as the Christian churches had been discussed a lot earlier.

Kato: I sensed that many local people loved Nagasaki, especially during the period of national isolation. They did not know much about the long history of the subsequent challenges of the Nagasaki Iron (Steel) Foundry, the Yotetsusho (iron-melting works) and the Mitsubishi Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, which I felt were concentrated on Dejima and the period of national isolation.

Hashimoto: There is strong interest in Dejima and “Okunchi,” which is designated as important national intangible folk-cultural asset. Perhaps there has not been enough education about how the industry has developed since the Meiji era. Another factor may be that there are many Christian-related sites, such as the Oura Tenshudo (Oura Church Christian Museum) and the 26th Saints Memorial Hall, on the tourist route. On the other hand, the shipyards basically did not allow tourists in, so there must have been a barrier from the general public.

Kato: It is true that Nagasaki is a thriving tourist town. Therefore, it is natural that the local people are aware of tourism. However, I have said that World Heritage does not equal tourism. The increase in the number of tourists due to being inscribed on the World Heritage List is not the purpose of inscribing the site as a World Heritage Site.

Hashimoto: Yes, it has been challenging to get local people to understand that, but since the museum was inscribed on the World Heritage List, many people have visited the museum. Unfortunately, the museum is currently closed, but through the industrial heritage, I feel that awareness of how modernization at the end of the Edo period paved the way for Japan's future has spread.

However, we believe that the mission of the Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution is to convey, through the history of industrialization, the importance of our predecessors' spirit and conviction and their boldness to move forward and to make the most of it in the future.

Kato: You are right. Japan is now at a critical turning point in its search for ways to revive its industry. I am convinced that the registration of the Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution as a World Heritage Site will play a role in creating a stir in this context.

Hashimoto: The modern shipbuilding industry started with ships, from which power machinery, electricity, communications and many other things developed. In short, shipbuilding was the mother of modern industry. Since then, various industries have risen and fallen, and we are now in a situation where the flow of industrialization since the Meiji era has come full circle. What to do from now on is a major issue for creating a bright future for Japan.

Kato: Shipbuilding is a comprehensive industry, and as Japan is a maritime nation surrounded by the sea, ships will never disappear. It is very important for Japanese industry to continue making them in Japan. How did Japan become an industrialized country in the first place? I sincerely hope that you understand that it was through a desperate determination that we worked in our industry to improve our poor shipping capacity. What comes to mind when I think of Japan's need to survive amidst the shipbuilding orders from China and South Korea is Mitsubishi's boldness in taking risks and moving forward.