Japan after Meiji restoration

Meiji Restoration

Japan followed the model of Western powers by industrializing and expanding its foreign influence. In the early 17th century, Japan had shut itself off from almost all contact with other nations. Under the rule of the Tokugawa shoguns, the society was tightly ordered. The shogun parceled out land to the lords. The peasants worked for and lived under the protection of their lord and his samurai.

This rigid system kept Japan free of civil war. Peace and relative prosperity reigned for two centuries. They continued, however, to trade with China and with Dutch traders from Indonesia. They also had diplomatic contact with Korea. In the early 19th century, Westerners began trying to convince the Japanese to open their ports to trade. Like China, however, Japan repeatedly refused to receive them.

Then, in 1853, U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry took four ships into what is now Tokyo Harbour. These massive black wooden ships that were powered by steam astounded the Japanese. The cannons and rifles also shocked them. That reply was the Treaty of Kanagawa, which was signed in 1854.

Under the terms of the treaty, Japan opened two ports at which American ships could take on supplies. The treaty also allowed the United States to set up an embassy in Japan. Other Western powers soon followed. By 1860, Japan, like China, had granted foreigners permission to trade at treaty ports. It had also extended extraterritorial rights to many foreign nations.

The Japanese, however, were angry that the shogun had given in to the foreigners’ demands. They feared that he was losing control over the country. The people rallied around Japan’s young emperor, Mutsuhito who appealed to Japan’s strong sense of pride and nationalism. In 1867, the Tokugawa shogun stepped down. He thus ended the military dictatorships that had lasted since the 12th century.

Mutsuhito established a new government. He chose the name Meiji for his reign, which means “enlightened rule.” Only 15 when he took over, Mutsuhito reigned for 45 years.

This period of Japanese history—from 1867 to 1912—is called the Meiji era.

The Meiji emperor realized that the best way to oppose Western imperialism was to adopt new ways.

In one of the first acts of the Meiji era, they gave their land to the emperor. Meiji government attempted to modernize Japan was by sending its statesmen to Europe and North America to study foreign ways.
The Japanese chose what they believed to be the best Western civilization had to offer and adapted it to their own country. They admired Germany’s strong centralized government, for example. And they used its constitution as a model for their own.

They attempted to imitate these European powers as they modernized their military. Japan adopted the American system of universal public education and required that all Japanese children attend school.

The emperor also energetically supported following the Western path of industrialization. By the early 20th century, the Japanese economy had become as modern as any in the world.
Japan’s race to modernize paid off. By 1890, the country had several dozen warships and 500,000 well-trained, well-armed soldiers. It had become the strongest military power in Asia. It then sought to eliminate the extraterritorial rights of foreigners. As Japan’s sense of power grew, the nation also became more imperialistic.
The Japanese first turned their sights to their Asian neighbours. Japan’s neighbour, Korea, is not far from southern Japan. In 1876, Japan forced Korea to open three ports to Japanese trade. But China also considered Korea to be important as both a trading partner and a military out-post. Recognizing their similar interests in Korea, Japan and China signed a hands-off agreement.

In 1885, both countries pledged that they would not send their armies into Korea.

In June 1894, however, China broke that agreement. Rebellions had broken out against Korea’s king. He asked China for military help in putting them down. Chinese troops marched into Korea. Japan protested and sent its troops to Korea to fight the Chinese. The Sino-Japanese War had begun. Within a few months, Japan had driven the Chinese out of Korea, had destroyed the Chinese navy, and had begun taking over Manchuria. In 1895, China and Japan signed a peace treaty. This treaty gave Japan its first colonies— Taiwan and the Pescadores Islands.

Most Western nations had expected China to win the showdown with Japan fairly easily. The Japanese victory surprised them. It also changed the world’s balance of power. Russia and Japan emerged as the major powers—and enemies—in East Asia.

Russia and Japan soon went to war over Manchuria. In 1903, Japan offered to recognize Russia’s rights in Manchuria if the Russians would agree to stay out of Korea. But the Russians refused. So, in February 1904, Japan launched a surprise attack. Japan drove Russian troops out of Korea. Japan won brutal land battles and captured most of Russia’s Pacific fleet.
In 1905, Japan and Russia began peace negotiations. U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt helped draft the treaty, which the two nations signed on a ship off Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This agreement, the Treaty of Portsmouth, gave Japan the captured territories. It also forced Russia to withdraw from Manchuria and to stay out of Korea. After defeating Russia, Japan attacked Korea with a vengeance. In 1905, it made Korea a protectorate. In 1910, Japan officially imposed annexation in Korea, or brought that country under Japan’s control. The rest of the world clearly saw the brutal results of Japan’s imperialism in Korea.

Japanese Imperialism Grows

Japan’s race to modernize paid off. By 1890, the country had several dozen warships and 500,000 well-trained, well-armed soldiers. It had become the strongest military power in Asia. Japan had gained military, political, and economic strength. It then sought to eliminate the extraterritorial rights of foreigners.

The Japanese foreign minister assured foreigners that they could rely on fair treatment in Japan. This was because its constitution and legal codes were similar to those of European nations, he explained. His reasoning was convincing, and in 1894, Britain and the other foreign powers abolished the extraterritorial rights of their citizens living in Japan. Japan’s feeling of strength and equality with the Western nations rose.

As Japan’s sense of power grew, the nation also became more imperialistic. Like many European nations, Japan saw empire building as a way of protecting its security and meeting economic needs. As in Europe, national pride also played a large part in this policy. The Japanese were determined to show the world that they were a powerful nation.

Japan Attacks China

The Japanese first turned their sights to their Asian neighbors. Japan’s neighbor, Korea, is not far from southern Japan (see the map on page 718).

In 1876, Japan forced Korea to open three ports to Japanese trade. But China also considered Korea to be important as both a trading partner and a military outpost. Recognizing their similar interests in Korea, Japan and China signed a hands-off agreement.

In 1885, both countries pledged that they would not send their armies into Korea.

In June 1894, however, China broke that agreement. Rebellions had broken out against Korea’s king. He asked China for military help in putting them down. Chinese troops marched into Korea.

Japan protested and sent its troops to Korea to fight the Chinese. The Sino-Japanese War had begun. Within a few months, Japan had driven the Chinese out of Korea, had destroyed the Chinese navy, and had begun taking over Manchuria. In 1895, China and Japan signed a peace treaty. This treaty gave Japan its first colonies—Taiwan and the Pescadores Islands.

Russo-Japanese War

Russia and Japan soon went to war over Manchuria. This was a region north of Korea that was under Chinese rule. In 1903, Japan offered to recognize Russia’s rights in Manchuria if the Russians would agree to stay out of Korea. But the Russians refused.

So, in February 1904, Japan launched a surprise attack. It struck at the Russian navy, which was anchored off the coast of Manchuria. In the resulting Russo-Japanese War,

Japan drove Russian troops out of Korea. Japan won brutal land battles and captured most of Russia’s Pacific fleet. It also destroyed Russia’s Baltic fleet, which had sailed all the way around Africa to participate in the war.

In 1905, Japan and Russia began peace negotiations. U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt helped draft the treaty, which the two nations signed on a ship off Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This agreement, the Treaty of Portsmouth, gave Japan the captured territories. It also forced Russia to withdraw from Manchuria and to stay out of Korea.

Korea Under Japanese Occupation

After defeating Russia, Japan attacked Korea with a vengeance. In 1905, it made Korea a protectorate. Japan sent in “advisers,” who grabbed more and more power from the Korean government.

The Korean king was unable to rally international support for his regime. In 1907, he gave up control of the country. Within two years the Korean Imperial Army was disbanded. In 1910, Japan officially imposed annexation in Korea, or brought that country under Japan’s control.

The Japanese were harsh rulers. For the next 35 years, they forbade public protest. They shut down Korean newspapers and took over Korean schools. There they replaced the study of Korean language and history with that of Japan. They took land away from Korean farmers and gave it to Japanese settlers. They encouraged Japanese businessmen to start industries in Korea, but forbade Koreans from going into business in their own country.

Resentment of the Japanese led to nonviolent protests and to a growing Korean nationalist movement. The Japanese did modernize Korean factories and transportation and communications systems, however. Despite this technological progress, Japan’s repressive rule in Korea was an example of imperialism at its worst.