The definition of civilization has been a major issue for Japanese modernity. Accepting European modernity as synonym0us with civilization would mean defining the previous stage as barbarism, and considering how to cut out such barbarism. Since before the war, Takeuchi Yoshimi had consistently tried to consider the problem of the removal of barbarism from civilization. This article argues that Takeuchi’s discussion of the problems of civilization and Japanese modernity contributes to our rethinking of a new barbarism in the midst of globalization.