本文論述朱子學與近代日本的關係，指出：所謂「日本的近代」，是以其前身「漢學的」日本為基礎，並擁有被漢學刻印的近代。近代日本在這樣的刻印之下，成立了日本式的近代國家。 所謂「日本式」，並不是為了對照先進西洋現代國家，形容現代化之速或遲的辭彙。而是為了重新審問二十世紀以來日本帝國身分，君臨東亞世界的近代日本國家，是如何的樣態存在。本文分析長期被忘卻、被隱藏的「漢學式的」日本與其思維基礎之間的關係。 本文主張將日本近代知識稱之為「朱子學式的近代知識」，為近代日本知識界的基礎從「漢學」向「洋學」的轉變，從朱子的角度提出一種新解釋。

This article discusses the connection between Zhuxi School of Neo-Confucianism and the emergence in early modern Japan. The author insists that the so-called "modernity of Japan" was made possible by the legacy of Chinese learning or Kangaku. It was on the basis of Kangaku that a modern state with Japanese characteristics emerged. The "Japanese characteristics" is designated in this paper to re-examine the form and content of modern Japan who had dominated East Asian World in the twentieth century.