ABSTRACT
PATRIOTISM is supposed to be pre-eminently a Japanese quality, and love of country and native courage both exist in such measure as to justify the belief; but for the sake of creating that unity and discipline necessary to the military ideal of national strength the whole Japanese polity is founded upon fables concerning Japanese origins, belief in which on the part of intelligent men is almost as incredible as the fables themselves. Actually no educated Japanese does believe them, but all are committed to a profession of belief, and the greater the scepticism which has to be concealed, the greater is the fear that the whole national edifice will collapse if the pretence is undermined by the unbelief of those whose self-interest will not keep them silent.
