Abstract: “Japanese Yomeigaku” refers to a social movement in Japan in the late 19th century in the name of WANG Yang-ming. The movement had complicated causes and lots of academic fiction. Although “Yomeigaku” literally means “the study of Yang-ming”, we have to make a distinction between Japanese Yomeigaku as a social movement and the study of Yang-ming as the study of WANG Yang-ming’s philosophy, which has flourished after the World War II in Japan.

Key words: Japanese Yomeigaku, study of WANG Yang-ming&rsquo, s philosophy, INOUE Tetsujirou, social movements, academic research