Japanese Revolutions
Stephanie Hoang
Jasmine Klar
Younji Lee
The Meiji Restoration (1860-1868)
The Meiji Restoration – Analysis of
the Causes
Lead by Commander
Commodore Matthew Perry,
American gunships began to
come to the Japanese coast in
1853.
The Sat-Cho alliance
believed in restoring
imperial rule to protect itself
against the threats Japan was
facing. However, the Shogun
continuously made decisions
and ratified treaties (without
imperial consent) that lead
to more contact with
Westerners, which increased
the daimyo’s disapproval of
the Shogun.
After his request for Japan to
open its economy for foreign
trade, the shogun decided to
end Japan’s isolation; in
doing so, other European
countries requested that
Japan be open to them as
well.
In response to this, samurai
leaders from the southern
provinces of Satsuma and
Choshu formed an alliance
and urged the shogun to
protect itself from foreign
intimidation.
The Sat-Cho Alliance
fought to end Japan’s
relations with the west. In
1867, a Cho-shu fortress
attacked Western ships.
In January 1868, the SatCho Alliance over threw
the Shogunate, and Meiji,
who became emperor in
1867, became an emperor
with full imperial powers.
The Meiji Restoration – Analysis of
the Causes
Society based on a rigid
social hierarchy in the
Tokugawa Shogunate;
this social structure was
not prevalent after the
Meiji Restoration
During the late Tokugawa
Shogunate period, Japan
ended its isolationist
foreign policy; although
the Meiji Restoration was
initiated in the hopes of
ending foreign influence,
Japanese leaders realized
the need to end its
isolationist policy
Impact resulting
from the Causes of
the Meiji
restoration/Differen
ces from Previous
Tokugawa
Shogunate
During the Tokugawa
Shogunate, the emperors
held the title of ruler, but
the shoguns had the
legitimate power. The Meiji
Restoration increased all
the imperial powers of the
emperor
Contact with the
Western nations
compelled Japan to
industrialize, which
caused major changes
in Japan’s economy
Impact of Meiji Restoration
Category
Description
Political
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Intellectual
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In 1868, the new Meiji government seized Tokugawa lands and placed them under
their In control
In 1869, because many daimyo were compelled to return domains to the emperor, in
the process, a new central government was created
Political positions were increasingly dependent on merit, competence, and civil
service examinations
Adopted Western learning in order to avoid Western domination
Meiji sent young members of the upper class to visit or study in Europe and America
to learn engineering, economics, and military science
Religion
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In 1868, the Imperial government ordered the separation of Buddhism and Shintoism;
it was compelled to do so to unify the country and prevent Shintoism from being
changed with foreign influences
Art/Architecture
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In 1871, the Iwakura Tomomi Mission impacted Japanese art as foreigners brought
back specialists to assist in the arts and crafts
Meiji government encouraged Japanese artists to expose themselves to Western
ideas, and many Japanese artists were sent abroad to study
The Paris Exposition of 1867 played an important role in promoting Meiji period
ceramics, which became popular with western clients
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Impact of Meiji Restoration
Continued
Technology
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Economy
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Society
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Implemented a Ministry of Industry in 1870
New railroads, steamships, ports, and canals were constructed each year
1869 – the first telegraph line established between Tokyo and Yokohama
Government encouraged private enterprise, which allowed the middle class to grow
Government provided political and financial security, making it possible to invest in
new industries and technologies
Much industrialization occurred
Abolished feudalism, and hereditary privileges of individual samurai were taken away
Government stipends to the samurai were eliminated, and former samurai were
forbidden to wear swords in public
Rigid social hierarchy from the Tokugawa Shogunate was eliminated
Taxes increased for farmers
Japanese society adopted Western dress, fashion and manners, and the Western
calendar
Chronology of the Changes that
Occurred
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1853: Commodore Matthew Perry arrives with four warships and requests
that Japan open its economy to foreign trade.
1854: Japan signs the Treaty of Amity – this opens the ports of Shimodo
and Hakodate to foreign ships. Japan ends its policy of isolationism.
1857: The US Consul General and the Shogun make another trade treaty
which includes more opening of Japanese ports and fixed trade tariffs.
1858: Although the Emperor refuses to ratify the treaty, the Shogun ratifies
multiple treaties without his consent. This heightens disapproval and
discontent with the Shogun’s exhibition of power.
1863: Choshu bombards British, French, and Dutch ships in the strait of
Shimonoseki, following an imperial order to expel foreigners.
1864: Britain, France, US, and Holland attacks and burns city of
Shimonoseki in response. Choshu attacks shogun forces in Kyoto.
1867: Choshu and Satsuma attacks the Tokugawa shogun army
1868: Collapse of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and Tokugawa Yoshinobu
(last Tokukgawa shogun) resigns; imperial power is restored to the emperor
Meiji
Comparison of Government Structure and
Effectiveness
Original
Final
•The “alternate
attendance” system
required most of the
domain lords to spend
every other year in Edo to
serve the shogun
•Most of the power rested
within the shogun
• The emperor, although
given the title of the ruler,
had very little power
•Lords served an
authoritarian government
•The Edo government began to
decline in the 1850s.
•Emperor has
power
•By the mid 1860s, Choshu was in
the hands of an anti-Tokugawa
administration.
•Social class
still present
•By 1868, Shogun Tokugawa
Yoshinobu resigned as a shogun
•The emperor’s imperial power is
restored
•On January 3, 1868, a group of
young samurai came into power.
Comparison of Government Structure and
Effectiveness
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The goal of this revolution was to abolish the
Tokugawa Shogunate and restore the emperor’s
imperial power. Although the emperor was
deemed ruler during the Tokugawa era, the
power rested solely with the shoguns. However,
in 1868, Tokugawa Yoshinoby, who was the last
of the Tokugawa shoguns, resigned from his
position. This ultimately caused the collapse of
the Tokugawa Shonugate, returning the imperial
power back to the emperor. This revolution was
effective because it restored the emperor’s
imperial power.
Key Leaders of the Meiji
Restoration
Commander
Matthew C. Perry
Kido Takayoshi
Okubo Toshimichi
Tokugawa
Yoshinobu-last
shogun
Charts of the Meiji Restoration
Reasons for Tokugawa’s collapse
Maps of the Meiji Restoration
Map of the Boshin war (1868-1869);
Satsuma, Chōshū and Tosa joined forces
to defeat Shogunate forces at TobaFushimi
Map showing areas of Shogunal rule
Meiji Empire to Constitutional
Monarchy (1868-1889)
Causes
Changes that Spurred the
Transition into a
Constitutional Monarchy
Tosa Memorial: written
by Itagakii and others,
criticizing the unbridled
power of the oligarchy
Political demonstrations
which resulted in further
government restrictions that
led to divisions among them
There was apparent
leadership split over the
Korean affair
Political pressure to
change from an oligarchy to
a constitutional government
Government leaders had to
deal with violent threats to
stability; the importance of a
stable government apparent.
Impact of Meiji Constitutional
Monarchy
Category
Information
Political
-Itagaki Taisuke, a powerful Tosa leader, started a school and movement towards a
constitutional monarchy (The Freedom and People’s Rights Movement).
-1871-1873: land and tax laws were enacted as the basis for modern fiscal policy
and private ownership was legalized.
-Aikoksha (Society of Patriots) created by Itagaki to push for a representative
government
-1882: Imperial Rule Party was established. Political demonstrations followed,
which resulted in further government restrictions.
-Osaka Conference reorganized government with an independent judiciary and an
appointed Chamber of Elders
-A small clique of elite continued to rule Japan, making decisions reserved by the
emperor and controlling the political government.
Religion
-Shintoism becomes the prevalent religion with Japan
Intellectual
-Major western influence
-Leaving Asia argued that Japan should orient itself at the “civilized countries of
the West”. This allowed for the economic and technological rise of Japan.
Art/Architecture
-Major western influence incorporated into the pottery and art of Japanese artists
-Japanese art becomes more prevalent in the west
Impact of Meiji Constitutional
Monarchy Cont.
Technology
-Technology was borrowed from the West.
-1871: a group of Japanese politicians (Iwakura Mission) toured Europe and the USA
to learn the western ways
-The Bank of japan (1877) used taxes to fund model textile and steel factories.
-Education was expanded
Economy
-Japan gradually took control of Asia’s marked for manufactured goods,
beginning with textiles.
-First Asian industrialized nation
-It began as mercantilism and changed to embrace the concept of a
market economy and adopted British and North American forms of free
enterprise capitalism.
-Reforms included a unified modern currency based on yen, banking,
commercial and tax laws, stock exchanges, and a communications
network.
Society
-One of the first acts of the government was to establish new ranks of
nobility.
-Five ranks: prince, marquis, count, viscount, and baron
-Leaving Asia argued that Japan should orient itself at the “civilized
countries of the West”. This allowed for the economic and technological
rise of Japan.
Chronology
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1873- Itagaki Taisuke, a powerful Tosa leader, had resigned from the
Council of State over the Korean affair
1874- The Tosa Memorial was written, which criticized the power of the
oligarchy and need for a representative government
1875- The Osaka Conference led to the reorganization of the government
with independent judiciary and an appointed Chamber of Elders, which
reviewed proposals.
1878-The nationwide Aikokusha (Society of Patriots) was organized and
pushed for a representative government.
1882- The Rikken Kaishinto (Constitutional Progressive Party) was
established and called for a British-style constitutional democracy.
1885- The Council of State was replaced with a cabinet headed by Ito as
prime minister.
1889- The Constitution of the Empire of Japan (The Meiji Constitution) was
signed by the emperor and provided for the Imperial Diet, which was
composed of a popularly elected House of Representatives, the House of
Peers, and a cabinet.
Comparison of Government
Structure and Effectiveness
Final
Original
•Leaders were inexperienced and
young
•Created pragmatic policies without
considering their effects; policies
were often revised
•Wanted to industrialize and pursue
internationalization; modeled after
the West
•Social classes
remain abolished
•Government faced many problems,
including inadequate revenues,
challenges from imperialist nations,
threats from domains, and lack of
organizational structures
•Presence of
industrialization
•Government structure was
reorganized multiple times
•Membership in leadership also
changed multiple times
•Social classes abolished
•Emperor’s imperial
power restored
•Ito Hirobumi, one of the
youngest Restoration leaders,
studied European political
systems. He helped draft the
first national constitution and
create several institutions
•The constitution was declared
on February 11, 1889. It gave
the emperor full sovereignty,
creating a weak legislature and
a strong, cabinet, with the prime
minister appointed by the
emperor.
•Political parties did not yet have
real power due to the lack of
unity among their members.
Comparison of Government Structure
and Effectiveness
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The goal of this revolution was to modernize Japan and create a
centralized government. This revolution was an overall success
because Japan became a constitutional monarchy. Because a
constitution was promulgated that gave the emperor full
sovereignty, this allowed for a centralized and modernized
government; the emperor’s imperial power was fully restored.
Also, during this period, Japan underwent many changes leading
up to its modernization. For example, social classes were
abolished, education systems were reformed, transportation and
communication improved, and the economy changed from an
agrarian to an industrialized one. Furthermore, there were many
changes applied in certain aspects to Westernize the country as a
whole, including trade. Because this revolution created a more
centralized and modernized country, it was successful.
Key Leaders
Emperor Meiji
Ito Himawari
Hijikata Toshizo
Saigo Takamori
Charts
Chart of government structure of
Meiji during modernization
Pictures
Meiji Constitution
Emperor Meiji moving
from Kyoto to Tokyo
Maps
Map showing alliances against Tokugawa
Works Cited
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Huffman James. "About Japan:1868-1889 | Japan Society."
Japan Society. Web. 10 Feb. 2011.
<http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/content.cfm/the_meiji_res
toration_era_1868-1889>.
"Japanese History: Meiji Period." Japan Living Guide. Web. 9
Feb. 2011. <http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2130.html>.
"Meiji Restoration - Change in Japan's Political and Social
Structure." Japan Information Resource. Web. 11 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.japan-101.com/history/meiji_restoration.htm>.
"Modern History: The Meiji Restoration and Modernization."
Asia for Educators. Columbia University. Web. 8 Feb. 2011.
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/japan/japanworkbook/modernhis
t/meiji.html.
Division of Work
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Younji Lee – 1,2, chronology for Meiji
Restoration
Jasmine Klar – 1,2, chronology for Meiji Empire
to Constitutional Monarchy
Stephanie Hoang – All graphics of both
revolutions, Comparison for both revolutions