On a scale of
Disney
characters, how
are you feeling
today?
Japan is just slightly smaller than
California in size but has more
than double the amount of
population (37 mill in California
vs 88 million in Japan).
Based on this political cartoon, how do you think
Japan reacts to Western Imperialism?
You will NOT be doing an assignment on Imperialism in Japan, BUT
you will be writing a PARAGRAPH tomorrow in class on the
following prompt:
How was imperialism in Japan similar to
(compare) and different than (contrast)
imperialism in China.
As we go through the notes, think about
this question!
Isolationist Japan
1. Like China, Japan has almost
no contact with outside world.
2. They thought they had
everything they needed
3. “Ruled” by an Emperor but the
Shogun (top Samurai) has the
power
4. Japan’s topography (physical
features) make it VERY difficult
to invade!
5. Had a population of about 32
million.
How many of these 5 bullet points
are SIMILAR to China before
imperialism?
Japan is made up of more than 6832 islands, HUGE mountain ranges, thick forests,
thousands of rivers and few beaches to launch an invasion.
“Open the Door, Stop Being Closed”
• 1853: US sends four
gunships to ask
Japan to start
trading.
• Japan says no, but
the US threatens:
• “Open up or we’ll
return with MORE
ships”
• The Shogun gives in!
Forced into Submission
• Treaty of Kanagawa –
Japan agrees to trade
with the US at two
ports (Spheres of
Influence) and granted
the US extraterritorial
rights
• Other countries
followed and gained
rights
What are extraterritorial rights?
Nationalism Takes Hold
• Nationalism spread as
many were mad that the
Shogun had given in to
the West
• Emperor Meiji takes
power
• This starts the Meiji
Era
• Meiji means
Enlightened Rule
(ENLIGHTENMENT!)
How do these two images of Emperor Meiji show
how Japan will respond to being imperialized?
Meiji Restoration
• The Modernization and
Westernization of Japan
• Studied the west and took
the “best” parts to use in
Japan
• Society, industry, economy,
government and the MILITARY
was transformed to be like the
West
• Government structure!
• Mandatory school!
• Got rid of the ancient
social hierarchy
•
Encouraged loyalty to the
EMPEROR
Militarism in 40 Years!
• Japan becomes the
Strongest Military
power in Asia
• Eliminate
extraterritorial rights
for foreigners
• Japan’s sense of power
grew - feel as though
they have something
to prove
Sino (China) -Japanese War
• 1876 China controlled
Korea and Japan wants
it
• Japan attacks and China
cannot hold them off
• No one wins Korea becomes
independent BUT
• Japan gets its first
colony.
• The Imperialized
becomes an
Imperializer.
Since Japan has experience
being imperialized, how do you
think it will treat the people that
it imperializes?
Russo-Japanese War
• Japan has Korea and Russia
wants it.
• They both also want a
part of China called
Manchuria
• AND they both want
access to ports
• The fighting is brutal and
bloody.
• Japan gains the advantage,
but the losses were high on
both sides - and the $$ was
tremendous.
Brokered Peace
• US President Theodore
Roosevelt helped broker the
Treaty of Portsmouth
• Japan gets Korea as well as
several other new
colonies/land.
• Japanese Imperialism spreads
and it becomes competitive
with the West.
•
This defeat will come back to
haunt the Russian Tsar and helps
bring forth the Russian
Revolution (1917).
VIOLENCE, TERROR AND ABUSE
• Japan BRUTALIZES
the Koreans.
• Takes away rights
• Gives land to
Japanese settlers
• Replaces Korean
language and
history with
Japanese
• Even today there is
tension, distrust and
resentment between
Korea and Japan.
Japan “slow-creeped” across the Pacific! Since it was slow, the west
didn’t pay much attention to what they were doing.
This is what China is doing TODAY.
China makes man made islands to lay
claims to territorial rights.
Disparities - differences
Archipelago - group of islands
Kendo - type of martial art
Siphoning - taking away a little by little
Explotation - using people
Prefectures - government areas in Japan - kind of
like a state
Caveat - conditions, limits
Conscript Army - when you are forced to join the
army