Scholars had different views about the relations Japan should have with other countries. Some scholars wanted to have cordial relations with the USA and other Western nations which were culturally on top of the world. The Meiji intellectual Fukuzawa Yukichi was highly pro-American. He was of the opinion that using its specialties Japan should become part of the Western nations.
But the next generation was not willing to accept this view of Fukuzawa. They questioned the idea of accepting Western ideas blindly. They gave stress to nationalism based on traditional values. Miyake Setsiirei, a famous Japanese philosopher, wanted Japan to develop its competence for the betterment of world culture. He said that dedicating oneself to the nation is dedicating himself to the whole world.
Another group of intellectuals was attracted by the liberalism of the West. They wanted Japan not to just concentrate oh militarism but on liberalism. Ueki Emori was the leader of the democratic movement in Japan. He wanted the establishment of a democratic government in Japan. He was an admirer of the principles of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, popularised by the French Revolution and he had -the view that students should be given a liberal education for their proper development. He said that liberty is more important than law and order. Another group wanted women to be given voting rights. All these pressures forced to government to declare a new Constitution.