日本文化脫胎自中國，而其政治思想之根源，亦係傳習自我國的儒教。其政治施 為，師法中國聖王之道德政治理念，自古即已承襲成風。此一事實，見諸於日本第一部敕撰 正史《日本書紀》之記載。當儒家經典開始流傳時，鄰國日本尚處於原始無組織狀態，儒學 博大精深的內涵，無異為其提供規畫政事的藍本，自然如獲至寶，迅即生根、發芽、滋長， 終於繁茂成根深蒂固的日本傳統文化。 迨至十七世紀初年，德川家康創幕府於江戶，推行文治政策，獎勵儒學，更是不遺餘力 ，立朱子學為官學，對日本之影響最為深遠。其給與日本的教化效果，就是本家的明、清或 鄰近頗受薰陶的朝鮮李氏王朝，亦有所不及。如果有人說：朱子學在江戶時代，徹底發揮其 功能，充分作用於幕藩政治之社會體制，創造明治維新的契機，奠下日本富國強兵的基礎， 應不算是過當的言詞。 明治維新以後，朱子學似因西歐思想之湧來而被淹沒，可是仍然隱藏於明治教育觀、人 生觀之底流，持續發揮其無形的力量，迄今還可明顯地看出其對日本人道德意識、價值觀念 等廣泛而牢固的投影。
Japanese cultures were mainly derived from Chinese ones, and its political thoughts were descended from Confucianism as well. The fact that the public administrations in ancient Japan were largely taught by Chinese political ethics which had become parts of Japanese traditional cultures is evident by the first historical book of ancient Japan, "Nihon Shoki". As the Confucian doctrines went around, the neighboring Japan was not well-organized as a political and economic regime. Confucianism with its profound and delicate nature provided Japan at the juncture the invaluable blueprint to organize its government. Planting the seeds and growing up in their full capacity, Confucianism came to the fruition as firmly embedded in Japanese cultures. In the early years of the 17th century, Tokugawa leyasu established the shogunate in Edo, governed it based on Confucianism. Prescribing Chu Tze doctrine as the only official doctrine by Tokugawa put the most profound influences on Japan. The cultural effects of Confucianism on Japan was even more significant than that on China in the Dynasties ofMing, and Ch'ing, or on Korea of the Lee Dynasty. It is not overstatement at all that one might regard the doctrine of Chu Tzu as the base to establish the solid structure of Edo government, to create the opportunity for the "Restoration of Meiji", and to constitute the foundation of the future Japanese empire. Although the doctrine of Chu Tzu seemed to go underground because of the invasion of the western European thoughts after the "Restoration of Meiji", it nevertheless continued to exert its influences on the morality, ideologies, and values of Japanese people till the present time.
