Japan
Political: (Spencer)
1. How was your empire established? How did you come to power? How does power pass from ruler
to ruler? How does your empire establish legitimacy? (Why do your people believe you have the right
to rule?)
The Tokugawa Shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603 after the previous supreme
commander Hideyoshi died and he won in a struggle for power between various strong Japanese political
figures. The Shogunate was hereditary and Ieyasu’s descendants became the subsequent Shoguns. The
legitimacy of the Tokugawa Shogunate came from having the Daimyo under their control. The Daimyo
dominated Japanese society in the previous centuries as regional militaristic lords, and once under the rule of
the Shogun, their collective power was designated to him.
2. How is your government organized? Who makes decisions and how? Who makes the laws? Who
enforces them? How do you collect taxes?
Japan was headed by by the Emperor and Shogun but during the reign of the Tokugawa, emperor was more of
a ceremonial and religious role and the Shogun ran domestic and foreign affairs, policy, and managing the
Daimyo. The Shogun made the laws and with the help of the vassals under their rule, the Daimyo could
enforce their policies in their specific domains. The Shogun would implement taxes and depend upon Daimyo
and more often Samurai to collect them.
3. How is diplomacy conducted? Within the empire? With foreign states?
Within Japan diplomacy was between the Shogun and the Daimyo. Later on in the Edo period, foreign
diplomacy was relegated to the Gaikoku bugyo. Japan was feudal and avoided much outside contact for most
of the Tokugawa Shogunate but later on the Gaikoku bugyo’s position became necessary to deal with an
increase of foreign trade and contact.
4. What is the role of religion in your empire? Religious policies?
Since the time of its spread, Mahayana Zen Buddhism was always prominent in Japan. Buddhism was
integrated into the workings of the society, and every family in Japan was required to belong to a temple.
Buddhism helped with record keeping and maintaining order in Japan. Along with Buddhism, Confucian
thought was prevalent after it came to Japan during the Chinese Song dynasty. Confucian values like filial
piety, benevolence, and moral wisdom fit well in Japanese society. In the mid 1500’s, Francis Xavier and the
first Christian European missionaries made their trips to Japan. The Jesuits were successful in converting
lower class citizens. By 1617, when Christians in Japan numbered roughly 300,000 , the Shogunate began to
feel threatened by Christianity and eradicated it.
5. Who are your models? Who are your competitors? Who are your allies? Who are your enemies?
Being an isolationist nation, Japan did not look for many models, competitors, or allies by definition of their
political climate. Allies and enemies with the Shogunate were usually between Daimyo that either had or had
not supported Ieyasu in his initial struggle for power. For a time, the Dutch were allowed to have a small stake
in trade in Nagasaki, but were not technically allies. The political system of the Shogun exercising tight control
over the Daimyo was a new concept for Japan and did not follow any particular model.
6. What is your policy toward foreigners?
Japan has a long standing history of being a society that does not embrace foreigners or foreign ideas, and are
closely bound to tradition. They could be classified as xenophobic. During the Tokugawa era, they were
reluctant to trade with other nations.
7. How much importance is placed on the military? Who makes up your military? What is the state of
your military technologies?
Much less importance was placed on the military in Tokugawa Japan opposed to earlier eras. The collapse of
the feudal system and in effect the diminished necessity of the Samurai meant that interregional warfare was
no longer a part of Japanese life and military was obsolete. Technically, the Shogunate was a militant
government, but that was due to the previous designations of the Shogun before this time. Military technology
was behind the curve of the day, however, Japan was superior at forging steel.
8. Has your influence expanded or been reduced? What are the reasons? What is the impact?
Within Japan, the influence of the Shogun increased until the 1800’s approached because they became less
and less able to control the economy. Outside Japan their influence stayed the same.
9 What internal factors, groups, organizations, institutions support or hinder your political goals?
The Shogunate’s goal was to have total control over the state’s policies and economy. Having direct control
over the Daimyo was instrumental in having control over Japan that superseded provincialism or the Emperor.
The merchant class, that was always looked down upon by Confucian standards, gained influence in
Tokugawa Japan despite the Shogunate’s personal agenda.
10. What external challenges do you face? How will you address those challenges?
11. What are the political changes occurring? What are the continuities? Global reasons?
Social: (Kelly)
12. How is your society organized? Who has influence? How is status determined? Is there mobility?
Is so, how do people move up in society?
In the beginning of this time Japan was organized into a feudal system with the Daimyo as warlords who
controlled the provinces. Then the Shogunate took over and the most powerful in Japan were the Shoguns.
Under this Tokugawa period Japan was socially separated into classes with the Shimin as the top elite class
consisting of Shoguns and Samurai. Then there was Nomin class containing farmers. After the Nomin there
were the Komin class of the artisans. Lastly, they had the Shomin class of merchants at the bottom because
they were scorned for their dealings with money. There was not much mobility; movement among the classes
was forbidden. However, the merchant class rose up in social status breaking barriers. They did so through
their increasing ability to afford education and luxury and by frequently talking with the Samurai in clubs. It was
also possible to gain social status through marriage.
13. How does your society manage cultural diversity? How are conquered people or minority groups
treated?
Japan had a mainly homogeneous society. They encountered Europeans and adopted their firearms and also
traded with Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, and England. They welcomed trade but closely regulated it.
When Catholicism was introduced to the Japanese, the ordinary welcomed and accepted it, but the elite
thought it was disruptive. Eventually a decree banned Christianity and the missionaries had to go
underground and operate secretly. After that trade with European culture and immigration halted. Tokugawa
was very serious about his policy and was afraid of being overrun by foreign influence, so Europeans who
immigrated illegally faced the death penalty. Japan started to open to diversity but then became a brutally
closed society and increasingly secluded.
14. What is the role of women? How are women treated in your empire? Is this a change or a continuity
from the previous era?
The role of women in ancient Japan varies based on religious influence on the individual. To illustrate the form
of buddhism that took hold in Japan was anti female. Females were seen as simply beings made to please
their husband reflecting their relationship between a lord and his subject. They worked in the house and raised
the children. Prior to the fifteenth century and in early eras of Japan, women were seen as spiritual leaders and
powerful figures; however, after the spread of buddhism to Japan, the social roles of women changed.
15. How is knowledge shared or passed to the next generation?
Japanese arts prospered and Kabuki theatre and haiku poetry became very popular. Artists created richly
detailed scrolls, wood-block prints and paintings. This was intended for domestic consumption. In addition to
the arts, information and knowledge was passed between generations orally. For instance, the tale of the 47
Ronin was a fable that was told from generation to generation.
16. What demographic shifts are occurring in your realm?
Japan shifts from a military to a civil society. Due to a decline of a feudalistic Japan in the fifteenth century,
violence caused by fights between warlords greatly decreased; therefore, the average life expectancy
increased. Furthermore, internal trade began to take place and the Japanese economy flourished. As a result
of internal trade, GDP also increased.
17. What social problems do you face? How will you address those challenges?
Population and economic growth contributed to reversal of fortunes between inner and outer lords. It also put
strain on agricultural economy in central Japan, but in outer provinces economic growth outstripped population
growth. The Tokugawa believed that agriculture should be the basis of state wealth; however, their
decentralization failed to hinder and stimulated the growth of commercial activity. The Samurai and regional
lords became dependent on merchants to give them credit. Decentralization made it difficult to regulate
merchants. This caused merchants to develop influence and vibrant culture and the position of the Samurai to
deteriorate.
18. What are the social changes occurring? What are the continuities? Global reasons?
The society shifted from a period of warlords called daimyo to the Tokugawa Shogunate; it goes from a
medieval period to a pre-modern time. The shogunate brought all local lords together under their rule. The
Samurai remained elite until the early eighteenth century when they became subject to civil law. Throughout
this period there was an emperor who was considered the most elite and served as a figurehead but held little
to no power. Under the Tokugawa period, change in commercial development, the rise of merchants, and the
growth of a new urban culture take place. The merchants new affluence encouraged an increase of art and
spawn a culture more attuned to the common man. A lot of change occurs because of the Tokugawa
Shogunate and its reestablishment of order.
Economic: (Matteus)
24. What is the state of your economy? What is the basis of your economic system? What are your
policies towards trade and commerce? What trade networks are you linked to? Who controls them?
Who are your trading partners? What goods/products do you sell, what do you import? Is there a
trade imbalance?
Japan's economy is flourishing under the the Tokugawa shogunate because of the boost of internal trade.
There was a rise in social status for the merchant class which was unusual for Japan. The basis for the trade
is mainly internal there is some external with china but at this time there was little external trade. We
encourage trade and commerce but there are some restrictions and regulations. We are linked to china and
with the jesuit dutch traders and we control the trade. We sell everything from silver to silk and other
manufactured products. We import some guns and the technology that that the europeans have to offer. No
there is not a trade imbalance.
25. What is the state of industry and manufacturing in your empire?
There are not many factories or places to manufacture the modern goods but there is an extensive road
system in place.
26. What labor system (s) do you use in your empire?
There is just a system where there is a merchant district in the city where most of the trading happens. Also
along the extensive road system trade happens with simple vendors and peddlers.
27. What groups/organizations/companies/institutions support or hinder your economic goals?
Technically foreign trade is prohibited by the daimyo but in the far north and south of the country there is
external trade. They make a very large profit off of this trade also.
28. What economic challenges do you face? How will you address those challenges?
We face the economic pressure from the westerners, they really want to trade with us but the shogun says
there shall be no external trade. We get there information from books they have on their ships and carry out
small trade. We also face the challenge of transportation between regions which we accomplish with our
extensive road system.
29. What are the economic changes? What are the economic continuities? Global reasons? The
economic changes are now that Japan is unified under the shogun, so is trade and the economy. Continuities
would be the goods that are being traded they have stayed the same throughout. We have always traded silk
and silver to the rest of southeast asia and the world.
Science/Technology: (Sam)
19. To what degree have new ideas and science influenced your realm?
Due to interests in Western technologies and ideas (Dutch Studies), a lot of new information has flowed into
Japan, especially in geography, shipbuilding, mathematics, astronomy, anatomy and medicine. While all of
these improvements furthered our country’s development and and helped us adapt, the Tokugawa Shogunate
prohibited guns across Japan. This would eventually lead to Japan facing major military problems in the
coming centuries.
20. What technologies have you either created or adopted? How are you using them? What
technologies are you actively seeking? How would you use them, how would they help you? During
this time period, we adopted both copper smelting methods and the Western printing press, yet made few
technological advances of our own. The printing press is being used to create large bodies of writing in
amounts large enough to supply many people in Japan, as one would expect. Due to Ieyasu’s strict policies on
foreign exclusion, there is little national interest in new technologies from most of the outside world. The less
well monitored daimyos were participating in illegal gun trading, which would help them better protect
themselves and have a military advantage if needed.
21. What factors, groups, organizations support or hinder your military goals?
The groups hindering our military goals, the greatest of which being to expand into the Asian mainland to
increase our power, are the Chinese and Koreans, who we were at war with. Another factor hindering our
military progress is the shoguns who refuse to produce or use guns in the armies of Japan.
22. What challenges do you face in terms of modernization of your technology? What is the state of
your infrastructure?
The challenges faced are mainly internal, as the greatest obstacle to Japan’s modernization is our own
disinterest in Western intrusion. Since Ieyasu became shogun, contact with the outside world has become less
and less prominent, and this has led to a decrease in technological and scientific advancement. Our
infrastructure is in good shape due to economic and political unity, if a little outdated.
23. What are the technology changes? What are the continuities? Global reasons?
The changes in technology are the introduction of the printing press and new mathematical and scientific
knowledge being introduced. The continuities were the weapons used by the military (Samurai), as well as a
majority of the other areas of technology, especially that of domestic and civil life.
Summary: (Jason)
30. What is your empire like at the beginning of the period? What is it like by the end of the period?
What were the significant changes that impacted your empire? What were the causes of those
changes? Provide global context. Identify and describe one continuity in your empire and compare to
another area of the world that is either similar or different. Provide reasons for the similarity or
difference.
31. What are the greatest strengths and weakness of your empire?
32. What are the benefits of increased global convergence from your perspective? What are the
negatives?