1868-1912
Arrival of US
Commodore Perry,
1853
• To end Japan’s self-imposed isolation and
open it to trade
• Soon, Britain, Russia, and Holland
negotiated similar treaties
• Tokugawa shogunate was overthrown for
allowing western nations into Japan
• In 1868, Emperor Mutsushito was restored to
throne
– To withstand imperialistic might of West, Japan
needed to adopt western ways
Perry's American “Black Ships”
Japanese Ships
• Japanese ships not allowed to leave
Japan
• In 1637 Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu had
fixed size and manpower of Japanese
ships so that they could only travel on
inland waterways
Reactions to Western Presence
• Some samurai wanted direct expulsion
of foreigners
• Some wanted to learn from foreigners,
then expel them
– Their slogan was "Eastern Ethics,
Western Science"
Emperor Meiji
at Age 27
Initial Problems
• From within: The Tokugawa feudal
structure and its problems.
– The growing gap between the rich
and poor samurai
• From without: Russia, Britain, and the
U.S.
– All three tried to expand into Japan
Structure of Meiji Government
• According to Charter Oath and
Seitaisho (provisional constitution) of
1868, establishment of the Dajokan
(Grand Council of State)
• It allowed small group to make
decisions and implement decisions
through their own ministries
• Established centralized authority by
abolishing the domains (1871)
The Charter Oath of 1868
• 1. Deliberative assemblies shall be widely
established and all matters decided by public
discussion.
• 2. All classes, high and low, shall unite in
vigorously carrying out the administration of
affairs of state.
• 3. The common people, no less than the civil and
military officials, shall each be allowed to pursue
his own calling so that there may be no
discontent.
• 4. Evil customs of the past shall be broken off and
everything based upon the just laws of Nature.
• 5. Knowledge shall be sought throughout the
world so as to strengthen the foundations of
imperial rule.
Japanese Nationalism
• Idea of the kokutai (national essence)
• Idea of national essence (or national soul)
borrowed from Germany in its conservative
reaction against the French Revolution and
Napoleon
• In 1871 national government in Tokyo
assumed:
– Debts of domains which accepted its rule
– Responsibility for stipends paid to samurai
• Samurai class lost its income in land reforms and
creation of conscription army of commoners
Meiji Constitution (1889)
• Japanese emperor given great authority
• Military answered directly to the
emperor
• Much of the time, however, real decision
making was done by the Privy Council,
which consisted of those who helped
emperor in the Meiji Restoration
• Conservative document that gave the
people a certain amount of rights, but
gave the emperor predominant power
over the two houses
Meiji Society
• Reclassified social hierarchy:
– Nobles (kazoku) (including many newly
appointed industrialists and merchants
and samurai who were on the emperor's
side during the Meiji Restoration)
– Former samurai (shizoku and sotsu),
farmers, merchants and artisans (heimin)
as ordinary citizens
• Downfall of the samurai as a class
Meiji Economics
Raw Silk Production and Export
from Japan 1868 to 1913
Period
Production
annual average
(tons)
Exports
annual average
(tons)
1868-1872
1026
646
1883
1687
1347
1889-1893
4098
2444
1899-1903
7103
4098
1909-1913
12460
9462
Coal Production in Japan
1875 to 1913
Year
Coal Production
(metric tons)
1875
600,000
1885
1,200,000
1895
5,000,000
1905
13,000,000
1913
21,300,000
Japanese Merchant Fleet Size
1873 to 1913
Year
Number of Steamships
1873
26
1894
169
1904
797
1913
1514
Railroad Mileage in Japan
1873 to 1913
Year
Track
(miles)
1872
18
1883
240
1887
640
1894
2100
1904
4700
1914
7100
1907—Meiji Industrial Exposition,
first Japanese swimming pool
1907—Meiji Industrial Exposition,
the Tokyo Exposition Buildings
1907—Meiji Industrial Exposition,
the Mitsubishi Museum
1907—Meiji Industrial Exposition,
a Kairansha. Developed in U.S. only 10 years before
Further Impact of Meiji
• Meiji Era policy of using private
businesses to promote government policy
objectives
• South Korea
– Park Chung Hee wanted to industrialize it
– Created system of Chaebol
• Government-sponsored firms such as Hyundai,
Samsung, Lucky Goldstar, Daewoo, etc.
• Park was an officer in Japanese Army
(with Japanese name) while Korea under
Japanese control during WWII
1868-1912
Bibliography
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www.indiana.edu/
www.taisho.com/
www.regentsprep.org
ocw.mit.edu
web.rollins.edu