Ernest W. (Ernest Wilson) Clement

Born in 1860, Ernest Wilson Clement was an American author, educator, and Christian missionary whose work was closely tied to Japan. He spent many years there and wrote in a clear, explanatory style for readers who wanted to understand the country’s history, customs, and religious life.

Clement is known for books such as A Handbook of Modern Japan and A Short History of Japan, as well as studies of Japanese traditions and belief. His writing often aimed to interpret Japan for English-speaking audiences at a time when international interest in the country was growing quickly.

He died in 1941. Today, his books offer both useful background on Japan and a revealing glimpse of how one early 20th-century observer tried to describe a culture undergoing major transformation.