The Inter-War Years – Japan
Nick, Yen, Nixon, Carissa
INTRODUCTION

Japan during the Meiji Period
(industrialization)

Before the year 1853, Japan was a very
isolated country that closed its doors
to foreign influence. As a result, it did
not experience the modernization of
Western countries that occurred
during the Industrial Revolution.
However, Japan opened its doors to the
world in the Meiji Period from 1868 to
1912 and industrialized itself rapidly,
establishing itself as a great world
power by World War I.
During World War I, Japan had an
alliance with the British Empire, and as
a result, Japan was given control of
many of the Pacific islands that
Germany had given up due to its defeat
after the war.
JAPAN’S NATIONAL INTERESTS DURING THE
INTERWAR PERIOD



Great Depression
Japan wanted to economically compete with the
European and American powers that had
already established colonies in Eastern Asia.
Japan needed resources to fuel their booming
economy and support their growing population,
which had already hit 70 million by the 1930’s.
The need for resources was greater stressed
during the Great Depression, when many
countries reduced international trade to protect
their own economic interests. Japan realized
that it needed to expand its empire by claiming
new territories to secure the resources needed
to meet their national interests.
EFFECTS ON JAPAN’S FOREIGN POLICY



All of Japan’s national interests at the time led to it
pursuing a foreign policy of expansionism, where Japan
felt it needed more land and control over a wider area to
meet its goals and fulfill its national interests.
For instance, Japan was a resource poor country with a
growing economy and large population. It invested large
amounts of money to build the infrastructure such as
railroads and the labor needed to extract and transport
resources from the Chinese province of Manchuria and
the Korean Peninsula to Japan. Eventually, this led the
Japanese to invade and then annex both Korea and
Manchuria into their empire, which created much tension
between the Chinese and Japanese.
They created the concept of the East Asian Co-Prosperity
Sphere as their idea of complete domination over Eastern
Asia, similar to the idea of the planned Greater German
Reich covering most of Europe. This idea was also in
Japan’s interest to eliminate the control of European
powers throughout this region of the world.
East Asian Co-Prosperity
Sphere Poster
JAPAN’S ULTRANATIONAL INTERESTS DURING THE
INTERWAR PERIOD


Shintoism: The emperor
as a living god
In the middle of the 1800’s, Japan adopted
Shintoism as a state religion, which revolved
around the aspect of the Emperor of Japan
being a living god. The beliefs of Shintoism
were used to justify the Japanese’ belief that
they were superior and had the divine right to
rule over the other peoples of Asia.
Japan, fueled by its ultranationalist
sentiments, used its powerful military to build
and secure its growing empire throughout
East Asia. In addition, they used to military
suppression to control the cultural and social
activities of the people they conquered, such
as the Chinese and Koreans by assimilating
them.
Nationalism and Ultranationalism of Japan – 1919-1939
Nationalism:
•
•
A sense of pride in their
nation had grown in Japan
after conquering other
nations and supplying
themselves with the
resources they needed and
acquiring land to gain more
power
Though Shintoism caused
Japan to go to extremes to
satisfy the needs of their
nation, it also kept the
Japanese closely tied with
their traditions and pride as
a “matchless state headed
by an unbroken, inviolable,
divinely descended imperial
dynasty” as quoted by
Shinto scholar Dr. Genchi
Kato.
Similarities:
•
•
•
•
The Japanese people’s
loyalty to their nation
allowed Japan to grow and
prosper.
Supplied Japan with its
needs satisfying their
national interests
Contributed to the
expansionism of Japan
shaping their society into
what they are today
All of Japan’s national
interests at the time led to it
pursuing a foreign policy of
expansionism
Ultranationalism:
•
•
•
•
•
Extreme decisions of Japan
led to “crimes against
humanity”
Greater East Asia CoProsperity, a plan to make
all Asian countries a part of
Japan and for Japan to have
full control of those
countries with imperialistic
ways.
Caused Japan to plan fullscale invasions on other
nations such as Manchuria
and more of China
The adoption of Shintoism
made Japan ethnocentric
believing that they had the
divine right to rule over
other Asian countries
Used military suppression
to control the social cultural
activities of the nations they
conquered
Nationalism
Ultranationalism
This image shows Imperial Japanese
troops heading to Manchuria. There is a
shared sense of national pride
This image displays the victory of
Japan over parts of China’s land.
Japan’s Expansionism
Prior to the 19th century, The
European and North American
technologies had expanded rapidly
while Japan remained an isolated
nation. Eventually Japan had
industrialized and modernized,
growing their technology and military
strength. Japan’s foreign policy had
imitated that of the foreign policies of
the United States and European
nations. This map shows how Japan
expanded over the years from 18951942 by acquiring surrounding
territories during the interwar
period. By acquiring more land and
resources, the Japanese were able to
supply their own nation with raw
materials, markets and land to
support its large population. Many of
their national interests were met
through their new foreign policy.
EFFECTS OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION
The Great Depression had brought a
collapse of international trade and Japan
was desperate for national resources.
Needed materials were available in the
Chinese province of Manchuria. On 18
September 1931 the Japan-built South
Manchurian Railroad was bombed. The
Japan used this incident and sent a fullscale invasion on Manchuria. By 1932
they controlled most of the province and
its major cities renaming it Manchukuo.
The Great Depression also led to an
invasion of China in 1937. These
incidences displays a great deal of
ultranationalism where Japan showed
extreme devotion to the interests of
their nation, neglecting and taking
advantage of the needs of other nations.
Effects of World War I
• Japan gained all of Germany’s Asian
and eat pacific colonies.
• Japan blackmailed invasion for
support from China to keep their
growing industrial giant going.
• Chinese productions and their
imports and exports slowed after
the war, due to the beginnings of the
Great depression.
• Military status was starting to
decline.
WARS JAPAN FOUGHT DURING INTERWAR
YEARS
Sino-Japanese War: (1894) Because
Japan was in great need for resources for
their industrialization; the most
convenient place for them to get it was
Korea. Korea was had a good supply of
coal and iron making it Japans target; but
during this time, China wanted control of
Korea too. Tension broke out between
Japan and China caused the SinoJapanese war to break out in Korea. It
was expected for China to win due to its
strong navy. Many did not know that
through industrialization, Japan had
built itself up as a great military power
too. After winning, Japan had a better
chance of invading Manchuria without
the dilemma of Chinese resistance. Japan
was recognized as a rising world power
through that war.
WARS JAPAN FOUGHT DURING INTERWAR
YEARS CONTIN.
Russo-Japanese War: (1904-1905) Not only China, but Russia was very
interested in control of Korea and Manchuria. Japan who was very defensive
of Manchuria at the time declared war against Russia. Attacking at Port
Arthur, Japan had many quick victories over Russia who was very confident
in winning. The grave lost of Russia was the cause of the Russia Revolution
in 1905. Defeating a European power, Japan was now really a world power.
WORKS CITED
World History Encyclopedia. Ed. Alfred J. Andrea and
Carolyn Neel. Vol. 15: Era 7: The Age of Revolutions,
1750-1914. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011.
p661-662.
 Harding, Craig J. Perspectives on Nationalism. Don
Mills: Oxford UP, 2009. Print.
 "Sino-Japanese War 1894-95." SinoJapaneseWar.com.
N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.
 The Origins of the Russo-Japanese War (1985); J. N.
Westwood, Russia against Japan (1986).
