Naturally enough this fear of being laughed at leads to careful and minute observation of the clothing, manners, and speech of one’s associates, and prompt conformity to them, through imitation.  The sensitiveness of Japanese students to each new environment is thus easily understood.  And this sensitiveness to environment has its advantages as well as its disadvantages.  I have already referred to the help it gives to the establishment of individual conformity to ethical standards.  The phenomenal success of many reforms in Japan may easily be traced to the national sensitiveness to foreign criticism.  Many instances of this will be given in the course of this work, but two may well be mentioned at this point.  According to the older customs there was great, if not perfect, freedom as to the use of clothing by the people.  The apparent indifference shown by them in the matter of nudity led foreigners to call the nation uncivilized.  This criticism has always been a galling one, and not without reason.  In many respects their civilization has been fully the equal of that of any other nation; yet in this respect it is true that they resembled and still do resemble semi-civilized peoples.  In response to this foreign criticism, however, a law was passed, early in the Meiji era, prohibiting nudity in cities.  The requirement that public bathing houses be divided into two separate compartments, one for men and one for women, was likewise due to foreign opinion.  That this is the case may be fairly inferred from the fact that the enforcement of these laws has largely taken places where foreigners abound, whereas, in the interior towns and villages they receive much less attention.  It must be acknowledged, however, that now at last, twenty-five years after their passage, they are almost everywhere beginning to be enforced by the authorities.

My other illustration of sensitiveness to foreign opinion is the present state of Japanese thought about the management of Formosa.  The government has been severely criticised by many leading papers for its blunders there.  But the curious feature is the constant reference to the contempt into which such mismanagement will bring Japan in the sight of the world—­as if the opinion of other nations were the most important issue involved, and not the righteousness and probity of the government itself.  It is interesting to notice how frequently the opinion of other nations with regard to Japan is a leading thought in the mind of the people.

In this connection the following extract finds its natural place: 

In a very large number of schools throughout the country special instructions have been given to the pupils as to their behavior towards foreigners.  From various sources we have culled the following orders bearing on special points, which we state as briefly as possible.

     (1) Never call after foreigners passing along the streets or roads.