The Exceptional Ranald McDonald: An Accidental English Teacher Who Entered Japan during the Period of National Seclusion (Early 19th Century, 1848-1853)

The Exceptional Ranald McDonald: An Accidental English Teacher Who Entered Japan during the Period of National Seclusion (Early 19th Century, 1848-1853)

Ranald MacDonald was an exceptional figure who entered Japan under the isolationist regime before the establishment of the hired foreigner system, and he is positioned as the starting point of the history of English education in Japan. He was not sent to Japan on a national or religious mission, but rather out of a personal conflict stemming from his mixed-race origins and a spiritual yearning for Japan. 1848, he escaped from a whaling ship and landed on Rishiri Island posing as a castaway, an extremely unusual act at a time when foreigners were not permitted to freely enter Japan. He was sent to Nagasaki, where he was placed under house arrest and, at the discretion of the magistrate's office, was assigned to teach English to the government officials. At the time, English in Japan was limited to knowledge via Dutch, but McDonald directly taught colloquial English, which emphasized pronunciation and conversation. With this experience, the passers-by played an important role a
s practical interpreters at the time of Perry's arrival in 1853. His absence from any formal contracts or positions symbolizes how chance and individual acts, rather than planning, shaped the foundation of Japan's modernization and ability to negotiate with foreign powers.