The Emergence of Modern Japan
I Brief History
• A. Japan was ruled by Shoguns (Military
Dictators who actually held power in
the city of Edo) & Emperors (figure
heads) who lived in the city of Kyoto
• B. In 1603 the Tokugawa Family seized
power
Tokugawa Family
#1 Tokugawa Ieyasu (1603)
#14 Tokugawa Iemochi (1866)
#15 Tokugawa Yoshinobu (1867)
I Brief History
• C. They:
1. Brought back feudalism
2. Closed Japan to most foreigners
3. Allowed limited trading with the
Dutch in Nagasaki
4. Prohibited Japanese citizens from
foreign travel
II Causes of Modernization
I Brief History
I Brief History
• D. Japan developed:
1. Agricultural production increased
2. Domestic business/commerce
expanded
3. Cities grew from business
transactions
I Brief History
I Brief History
II Causes of Modernization
• A. Widespread discontent:
1. Daimyo (Warrior Land owners) had
land, but no cash
2. Samurai (Warriors) lacked cash
3. Business people had money, but no
political power
4. Peasants had no money or power &
paid high taxes
II Causes of Modernization
II Causes of Modernization
• B. Weak & corrupt government that
forced people live in the past
• C. Britain defeats China in the Opium
War
• D. The US “demanded” Japan open its
country to trade, resulting in the
1854 Treaty of Kanagawa
III. Methods of Modernization
The Treaty of Kanagawa (1854)
II Causes of Modernization
• E. 1854 The Treaty of Kanagawa:
1. Two ports were open to US Ships
2. US Embassy
3. Opened Japan to foreign trade
• F. The 1887 revolt removed the
Tokugawas from power
• G. Meiji (The Enlightened One) became
the new emperor & renamed Edo
Tokyo
The Treaty of Kanagawa (1854)
III. Methods of Modernization
• A. Modernization was called the “Meiji
Restoration”
• B. The Meiji Restoration lasted from
1868-1912
• C. Adopted the German form of
constitutional monarchy, where the
emperor is absolute & there is an
elected legislature (Diet)
The Meiji Restoration
Meiji
III. Methods of Modernization
• D. Western style of bureaucracy with:
•
1. departments of finance
2. education
3. navy
III. Methods of Modernization
• E. Industrialization included:
• 1. railroads
• 2. western style banking systems
• 3. telegraph system
• 4. shipyards & ports
• 5. copper & coal mining
• 6. silk & textile production improved
• 7. postal system
• 8. weapons production
III. Methods of Modernization
III. Methods of Modernization
• F. Universal education, based on the US
system; consequently, literacy
increased
• G. Women gained some rights in terms
of education, but legally were
considered children
III. Methods of Modernization
IV. Imperialism
IV. Imperialism
• A. Causes:
1. Japan needed raw materials for its
rapid industrialization
2. Japan wanted to build an empire,
like many of its American &
European rivals
IV. Imperialism
IV. Imperialism
• B. Korea:
1. In 1876, Japan forced Korea to
open up to trade with Japan
2. 1905, Japan defeated China &
Russia as a result, it gained control
of Korea
3. 1910, Japan annexed Korea & made
it part of the “Japanese Empire”
4. Japan exploited Korea in terms of
natural resources & human rights
abuses
IV. Imperialism
• C. Sino (Chinese) War: 1894 Japan easily
defeated China, took control of Taiwan,
Pescadores Islands & Chinese sea ports
IV. Imperialism
• D. Russo-Japanese War: 1904 Japan
defeated Russia & took control of
Korea & parts of Manchuria (NE China, NE
Mongolia, SE Russia & NW Korea)
IV. Imperialism