‘A truly brave man is ever serene; he is never taken by surprise; nothing ruffles the equanimity of his spirit.’
What is the moral foundation of Japanese civilization? For Nitobe, the foundation must be Bushido, the way of the warrior that is followed by the samurai. It is the source of the seven virtues most admired in Japan: rectitude, courage, benevolence, politeness, truthfulness, honor, and loyalty. As Japan was entering the modern era, these virtues continued to guide it and remains the soul of the country to this day.
Inazo Nitobe (新渡戸 稲造) was a Japanese agricultural economist, diplomat, and politician during the Meiji era.