The Ming Dynasty had cut off its
relations with Japan since the Emperors Jiajing and Wanli until its collapse at the end of
Emperor Chongzhen. The writer in this paper is to deal with how and why the
southern Ming regimes carried its
policy toward Japan. This will be treated by three phases: (1) Zhu Yousong's (the
prince Fu, the then Emperor Hongguang of the southern Ming)
regime (1644 1645) followed the policy of the later Ming Dynasty; (2) the coexisting regime of Zhu Yihai (prince Lu who was supported by his army to take power in Eastern Zhejuang and was made Jianguo (supervisor of the state when the emperor of the southern Ming was absent) and Zhu Youlang (Prince Gui, Emperor of the southern Ming (1645 1646)) regime refused to make
friendly policy but managed to ask help from Japan; (3) the coexisting regime of Zhu Yihai, Zheng Changgong (1624 1662) and his descendants, and Zhu Yulang (prince Gui, Emperor of southern Ming (1646 1661) carried the policy of making friendly relations with and asking help from Japan. The factors causing the changes of attitudes the Southern Ming applied toward Japan were (a) the changes of general situation and the balance of power; (b)the different background experiences and characters of the policy makers of the southern Ming regimes; and (c) the localities of the regimes.
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