ポルトガル人による日本への鉄砲伝来？

　バートランド・ラッセルは、その著書『倫理と政治における人間社会（Human Society in Ethics and Politics）』（1954年）の第３章のなかで、次のように書いています。

　しかし、1543年に種子島へ鉄砲（火縄銃）を伝えたのは「ポルトガル人」であり、1549年にキリスト教を伝えたのもポルトガル王の保護下にあった勢力です。この日本の歴史的事実と照らすと、ラッセルによる「スペイン人（the Spaniards）」という記述は、ポルトガルとの混同、あるいは大雑把な単純化と考えられます。
　ただし、日本にキリスト教を最初に伝えたフランシスコ・ザビエル自身は、確かにスペイン（ナバラ王国）生まれのスペイン人でした。彼はポルトガル王の要請と支援を受けてアジアへ赴いたため、所属するイエズス会はポルトガルの勢力圏として動いていましたが、人物そのものはスペイン人です。そのため、ラッセルの中に「宣教師＝スペイン人」という強い印象があり、それが鉄砲伝来の主体にまでスライドしてしまった可能性があります。　日本人にとっての「種子島＝ポルトガル人」という確固たる常識も、英国の哲学者にとっては、イベリア半島のカトリック諸国という大きな括り（あるいはザビエルの国籍）の中に埋没してしまうものなのでしょうか。自国から見る歴史と、他国から見る歴史の「認識のズレ」を感じさせる一節です。

The Introduction of Firearms to Japan by the Portuguese
In Chapter 3 of his book Human Society in Ethics and Politics (1954),
Bertrand Russell writes:"

　　"...Modern missionaries are shocked by nudity, even where it has been
　　　the custom from time immemorial. By the help of scientific weapons of
           war this view has been caused to prevail throughout Africa and the
          South Sea islands. Only the Japanese found means of resisting this
           argument: when, in the sixteenth century, the Spaniards sent them
          missionaries and fire-arms, they at first admitted both, but when they
          had learnt to make fire-arms they decided to tolerate no more
           missionaries...."

However, historical facts in Japan show that it was the Portuguese who introduced firearms (matchlock guns) to Tanegashima in 1543, and it was also forces under the patronage of the King of Portugal that introduced Christianity in 1549. In light of these historical facts, Russell's reference to "the Spaniards" can be considered either a confusion with the Portuguese or a broad oversimplification.
Nevertheless, Francis Xavier, who first introduced Christianity to Japan, was indeed a Spaniard born in the Kingdom of Navarre. Because he traveled to Asia at the request and with the support of the King of Portugal, the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) to which he belonged operated within the Portuguese sphere of influence; yet, the man himself was Spanish. Therefore, Russell may have had a strong impression that "missionaries = Spaniards," which might have slid into his perception of who introduced firearms as well.
Does the firmly established common knowledge among the Japanese that "Tanegashima equals the Portuguese" simply get buried, for the British philosopher, within the broad category of the Catholic nations of the Iberian Peninsula (or perhaps within Xavier's nationality)? This passage vividly evokes a "gap in historical perception" between history as seen from within one's own country and history as viewed from the outside.