Move to Global War – Japan
The Tokugawa Shogunate:
– 1603 – 1868 Edo Period – Tokugawa family ruled Japan
– 1635 – foreign trade limited to China, Korea and the Netherlands a few times per year
– Peasants, merchants → Samurai → Daimyo → Shogun (military dictator) → Emperor (in name only,
actual power held by shogun)
– Economy – growing internal trade, shift from feudal system as merchants became wealthier than the
samurai. Peasant class remained extremely poor
– Rigid social stratification – limits tested by the end of Tokugawa shogunate, due to Japan becoming
more exposed to other countries
– Religion – mixture of Chinese Confucianism and native Shintoism
End of Japanese isolation:
US Commodore Matthew Perry:
– 1853 Gunboat Treaty: Perry demanded Japanese ports opened for trade, end of policy of isolation
– 1854 Treaty of Kanagawa: trade treaty with the US
– Britain, Netherlands and Russia soon gained similar trading rights
Townsend Harris:
– United States Consul General to Japan
– 1858: commercial treaty between US and Japan
– Imposed western culture on the Japanese people
Japanese reaction:
– Western knowledge became popular among doctors, scholars and scientists – went against many
traditional beliefs
– Entrepreneurs, merchants and industrialists stood to profit from increased trade
– Traditional people (samurai, daimyos) didn’t profit from increased trade
– Unbalanced the feudal system
– 1863-64: Anti-foreign uprisings
– Japanese thought they could renegotiate the trade treaties if they adopted Western ways like
democracy, imperialism, industrialisation, militarisation and western modernisation
The Meiji Constitution:
– 1868 restored practical imperial rule to Emperor Meiji – Shogun forced to relinquish power
– Japan westernised and crafted a constitution based on the Prussian model
– 1885 Council of State replaced with a cabinet. 1888 Privy Council established to advise the Emperor
– Diet (two houses of government) first convened in 1889 – Emperor controlled foreign policy and
diplomacy, Diet focused on domestic policy matters
– Meiji Constitution adopted in 1890 and followed until the end of WWII
– Military now controlled by the Emperor and had representatives in government
– Emperor had the power to exercise executive authority, appoint and dismiss government officials,
declare war, make peace, conclude treaties, dissolve the lower house of the Diet, issue Imperial
ordinances as laws, commanded the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy
Strengths:
– More diversified control than previously with the Diet
, – More civil rights and liberties for people and democracy
– Created an independent judiciary – less chance of corruption
– Democracy
Weaknesses:
– Emperor held too much power
– Constitution was ambiguous and self-contradictory
– Only men could vote and needed academic qualifications – only 5% of the population was represented
Economic reforms:
– Abolition of feudalism – gave more opportunity for economic development for individuals
– 1872 yen adopted as currency
– Encouragement of foreign trade and industrialisation – first large factories manufactured textiles with
girls and women as workers
– Land reform –people could own land rather than it all belonging to rich landowners
– Zanibatsu (large family-owned business) built and expanded, monopolised the markets like banking.
Loaned money to individuals and the government, gaining a large influence on the economy
Military reforms:
– Previously, armies run by the local daimyo, not subservient to a central government
– Modern army and navy established. Loyal to the Japanese government
– Believed that they needed to compete militarily to be taken seriously by Western powers
– Conscription in 1873 – all men had to serve for three years after turning twenty-one
Social reforms:
– Universal compulsory elementary education
– Universities established
– Westernisation of many laws – more human rights, more individual status
– Adoption of western architecture, fashions, music, literary styles
– Diversity of intellectual and political thought
– Growing independence and empowerment of women
– Movement of peasants from countryside to factories
Reasons for Japanese imperialism:
– Experienced extreme weather events
– Lack of fertile land for agriculture
– Needed raw materials for industry
– Needed larger markets for manufactured products
– Population growth and more landowners
– Response to Western imperialism eg. British Empire
Meiji Japan at War:
Korea 1876 – 1905:
1876: Japan-Korea Treaty – stated that Korea was no longer a tributary state to China; Japanese citizens
could not be arrested or tried in Korea’s courts; Korea could not impose any restrictions on Japanese trade;
Japan could use Korea’s ports for its exports
1884: Japanese supporters overthrew Korean government briefly in a coup. Countercoup launched,
supported by Chinese troops
1885: Britain took control of Korean port city as Korea was unable to defend itself
The Tokugawa Shogunate:
– 1603 – 1868 Edo Period – Tokugawa family ruled Japan
– 1635 – foreign trade limited to China, Korea and the Netherlands a few times per year
– Peasants, merchants → Samurai → Daimyo → Shogun (military dictator) → Emperor (in name only,
actual power held by shogun)
– Economy – growing internal trade, shift from feudal system as merchants became wealthier than the
samurai. Peasant class remained extremely poor
– Rigid social stratification – limits tested by the end of Tokugawa shogunate, due to Japan becoming
more exposed to other countries
– Religion – mixture of Chinese Confucianism and native Shintoism
End of Japanese isolation:
US Commodore Matthew Perry:
– 1853 Gunboat Treaty: Perry demanded Japanese ports opened for trade, end of policy of isolation
– 1854 Treaty of Kanagawa: trade treaty with the US
– Britain, Netherlands and Russia soon gained similar trading rights
Townsend Harris:
– United States Consul General to Japan
– 1858: commercial treaty between US and Japan
– Imposed western culture on the Japanese people
Japanese reaction:
– Western knowledge became popular among doctors, scholars and scientists – went against many
traditional beliefs
– Entrepreneurs, merchants and industrialists stood to profit from increased trade
– Traditional people (samurai, daimyos) didn’t profit from increased trade
– Unbalanced the feudal system
– 1863-64: Anti-foreign uprisings
– Japanese thought they could renegotiate the trade treaties if they adopted Western ways like
democracy, imperialism, industrialisation, militarisation and western modernisation
The Meiji Constitution:
– 1868 restored practical imperial rule to Emperor Meiji – Shogun forced to relinquish power
– Japan westernised and crafted a constitution based on the Prussian model
– 1885 Council of State replaced with a cabinet. 1888 Privy Council established to advise the Emperor
– Diet (two houses of government) first convened in 1889 – Emperor controlled foreign policy and
diplomacy, Diet focused on domestic policy matters
– Meiji Constitution adopted in 1890 and followed until the end of WWII
– Military now controlled by the Emperor and had representatives in government
– Emperor had the power to exercise executive authority, appoint and dismiss government officials,
declare war, make peace, conclude treaties, dissolve the lower house of the Diet, issue Imperial
ordinances as laws, commanded the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy
Strengths:
– More diversified control than previously with the Diet
, – More civil rights and liberties for people and democracy
– Created an independent judiciary – less chance of corruption
– Democracy
Weaknesses:
– Emperor held too much power
– Constitution was ambiguous and self-contradictory
– Only men could vote and needed academic qualifications – only 5% of the population was represented
Economic reforms:
– Abolition of feudalism – gave more opportunity for economic development for individuals
– 1872 yen adopted as currency
– Encouragement of foreign trade and industrialisation – first large factories manufactured textiles with
girls and women as workers
– Land reform –people could own land rather than it all belonging to rich landowners
– Zanibatsu (large family-owned business) built and expanded, monopolised the markets like banking.
Loaned money to individuals and the government, gaining a large influence on the economy
Military reforms:
– Previously, armies run by the local daimyo, not subservient to a central government
– Modern army and navy established. Loyal to the Japanese government
– Believed that they needed to compete militarily to be taken seriously by Western powers
– Conscription in 1873 – all men had to serve for three years after turning twenty-one
Social reforms:
– Universal compulsory elementary education
– Universities established
– Westernisation of many laws – more human rights, more individual status
– Adoption of western architecture, fashions, music, literary styles
– Diversity of intellectual and political thought
– Growing independence and empowerment of women
– Movement of peasants from countryside to factories
Reasons for Japanese imperialism:
– Experienced extreme weather events
– Lack of fertile land for agriculture
– Needed raw materials for industry
– Needed larger markets for manufactured products
– Population growth and more landowners
– Response to Western imperialism eg. British Empire
Meiji Japan at War:
Korea 1876 – 1905:
1876: Japan-Korea Treaty – stated that Korea was no longer a tributary state to China; Japanese citizens
could not be arrested or tried in Korea’s courts; Korea could not impose any restrictions on Japanese trade;
Japan could use Korea’s ports for its exports
1884: Japanese supporters overthrew Korean government briefly in a coup. Countercoup launched,
supported by Chinese troops
1885: Britain took control of Korean port city as Korea was unable to defend itself
