A Bizarre Debate between Mr. Honda vs. Mr. Yamaguchi in 1970s : The origin of dis-communication between Journalism and Cultural Anthropology in Japan

ホンダ カツイチ　ト　ヤマグチ マサオ　ノ　カミアワナイ　ロンソウ　1970ネンダイ　ノ　ブンカ　ジンルイガク　ト　ホウドウ　ジャーナリズム

Okazaki, Yozo

池田, 光穂

Ikeda, Mitsuho

山口昌男

文化人類学批判

脱植民地化

Katsuichi HONDA

Masao YAMAGUCHI

decolonization

intellectual debate between Journalism and cultural anthropology

This article examines the unsuccessful debate between the journalist Katsuichi Honda and anthropologist Masao Yamaguchi from June to October 1970 including afterword of Honda’s reply published at August 1971. The quintessence of Honda’s inquiry, entitled as “The eyes of the investigated,” was what the image of western and “white” anthropologists by the local people as informants who have been politically suppressed people under western colonial rules is. Four month later of publishing Honda’s paper, famous polemic anthropologist Masao Yamaguchi at 39 years old wrote long essay with corresponding title, “The eyes of the investigator,” which means Anthropologist’s eyes. But Yamaguchi’s essay could be read as Japanese anthropologist’s self-justification with his impolite wordings (ad hominem) against Honda’s inquiry. Ten month later Honda wrote his short reply for Yamaguchi’s essay, but Honda expressed his disappointment that Yamaguchi could not contest with Honda’s inquiry. At that time the debate was finished and never had been reopened. The authors challenge to go back to 1970’s debate scenery under decolonization and the anti-Vietnam Wars movement and to disentangle communicative cord between compassionate journalism and neutral-disguising cultural anthropology.

池田, 光穂