Hirohito, Tojo, and the rise
of Japan
Japan becomes an Imperial Power
• 1853: Matthew Perry forces the Japanese
to open trade or face war
• 1868: Traditional government falls apart
and the Meiji Era begins
– Sends ½ of the government to learn from the
Western world
• See Manchester (England) and realize the
importance of Industrialization
– ½ stays in Japan
• Invade Korea
A new constitution is formed
• Japanese officials that were in the West
learned about constitutions
– Took ideas from the Prussian Constitution
• Why was this not successful?
• Meiji Constitution
– Emperor at the top
– Military answers only to the emperor (and in
future will help rule)
• In the 1920-30’s Great Depression and
Government Corruption lead to the military
appointing a “Prime Minister” to rule with Emperor
Emperor Hirohito (Showa)
• 1926 he becomes the Emperor
– Grandson of Meiji
• Appoints Tojo as Prime Minister
Tojo Hideki
• Tojo believed in the Racial
Superiority of the Japanese people,
especially over the Chinese.
• He was also ultra-nationalistic as
well as very militaristic.
• He wanted to expand the Japanese
empire throughout the Pacific Rim.
Tojo’s Rise to Power
Joined the Japanese army
• His military service included periods in Switzerland and Germany
•Became “major general” in 1933
• Became head of the Kwantung Army military police in 1935
• He was appointed minister of war in 1941 by Fumimaro Kondoye
A strong supporter of Nazi Germany
• He feared long term plans of Joseph Stalin
Advocated pre-emptive air strikes on both China and the Soviet
Union
Executed for charges of being a war criminal in 1948
Post WWI Japan
• Japan is facing economic depression and large
population
– People of Japan cannot go across the Pacific, instead
sent to Manchuria
• Looking for markets to sell their industrialized
goods
– Europe and Africa are taken by Europeans
• When Britain pulls out of China, Japan tries to take over
• Pan Asianism: “Asia is one”
Pan Asianism: “Asia is one”
• Japan reminds Asians that Asia is larger
and higher populated than Europe
• Japan claims that they are the “true”
Asians and unless culture has reached
Asia, it must not be fully Asian
– To be “fully Asian” (according to Japanese)
you must be controlled by the Japanese
• In other words: The Japanese believed they were
helping the people they imperialized
• Unless
culture
made it all
the way up
to Japan,
the
Japanese
did not
believe it
was really
“Asian”
Military and Political ideologies
• Invasion is necessary
• “Korea is the dagger into the heart of
Japan”
– To protect Japan you must control Korea
– To protect Korea you must control Manchuria
– To protect Manchuria you must control China
• If they resist you must force them!
Explain…
• Explain the differences between Hirohito
and the other 20th century leaders