7th Grade UBD - Unit 4 - Japan

 Government- Japan is a democratic constitutional monarchy.
 Economy-After World War II, Japan built a strong economy that competes with other industrial powers.
 Society and Culture- Japan has an urban society that blends old traditions and Western influences.

 After World War II, Japan adopted a new constitution approved by the United States.
The constitution changed the status of the emperor and provided for democratic government.
 Japanese have debated the wisdom of revising parts of the constitution. Japan’s government, however, has been stable and democratic.

 The people of Japan have seen remarkable changes in the past century, not just in their country’s government, but also in its economy and its relations with the rest of the world.

 From the mid-1600s to the 1800s, Japan was a fairly isolated nation.
 Japan traded with
China but was unaffected by the rest of the world.

 Japan’s location made it a convenient place for ships sailing from the United States to stop and replenish supplies of food and fuel.

 In 1853, American naval vessels commanded by
Commodore Matthew C.
Perry landed in Japan.
 Perry used a show of force to open Japan to Western contact, ending nearly 200 years of Japanese isolation.

 During the time of the
Meiji Restoration (1868 through 1911), the
Japanese people built modern industries and developed the economy.
 Japan became wealthy and powerful.

 Before World War II, Japan’s constitution gave the emperor great power to rule Japan.
 The emperor was considered to be a descendent of the sun goddess Amaterasu.
 During the war, young Japanese were taught to sacrifice their lives for the emperor.

Key Term
Kamikaze Pilot-
A Japanese pilot trained in World
War II to make a suicidal crash attack, especially upon a ship.

Reading Activity- Eyewitness to History 11

 Article 9 of the Japanese constitution forces Japan to give up its right to make war.
 Japan has only a small military force. Its job is to defend Japan from attacks.
 The Japanese today are mainly pacifists who oppose all war.

Key Term

1.

1.
What is Article 9 in Japan’s postwar constitution? Why is it important?
 Article 9 is the “no-war” clause in Japan’s constitution.
It forces the Japanese to give up their right to make war. It also banned armed forces that could attack another country. Japan is only allowed to have a small military force. Their only job is to defend Japan from attacks.

 What should a person think about when looking for a job? What makes a good job? Jot down some answers to these questions.
(5 minutes)

 Work with a neighbor and compare your answer with theirs.
What things are the same and what things are different?
(3 minutes)

 Japan took advantage of its human resources and opportunities in world markets to rebuild rapidly after World War II.
 Japan has become an economic superpower, but its economy depends on world trade.

 In 1945, Japan was in ruins.
Allied bombers had smashed its cities, factories, roads, and railroads. Most people were close to starvation.
 With American aid, Japan began to rebuild. Japan today is among the world’s most prosperous nations.

 Soon after World War II ended
Japan received vital aid from
 the United States.
The United States wanted to
 help rebuild Japan and its economy because of the Cold
War.
So the United States provided money and technology to rebuild Japan after the war.




Japan is an economic giant. Yet the Japanese are cautious about the future.
Japanese leaders worry about a nation that depends so heavily on world trade. Japan’s economy requires a world of peace and free trade.
Also without oil, Japanese industries could not operate.

1.
How did the United States help Japan after World
War II?
2.
Despite Japan’s stand as an economic giant, many
Japanese say that their country is weak. Why do they say this?

1.
How did the United States help Japan after World War II?
 The United States provided money and technology to rebuild
Japan after World War II.
2.
Despite Japan’s stand as an economic giant, many
Japanese say that their country is weak. Why do they say this?
 Japan’s industry depends on world trade. A change in trade policies or the outbreak of war could destroy Japan’s economy.

 Such values as loyalty and hard work remain strong in modern Japan.
 Japanese schools are highly competitive, partly because students want to enter the best universities.
 Japanese enjoy traditional sports and arts.
Western sports and art are also important.

 Japanese people have the longest life expectancy in the world – average about
80 years
 Traditional clothing called
Kimono and Yukata are worn only on special occasions.

 Today, most Japanese live in or near cities. For many home is an apartment in a high-rise building.
 Today, many families consist of a mother, father, and a child.
 Men spend long hours working at large companies.

Video- Capsule Hotels

 Family bonds remain strong and children learn early to respect their elders and the family.
 Japan honors such values as loyalty, obedience, and hard work.

 Most middle and high schools require students to wear uniforms.
 Boys generally wear pants and jackets, and girls wear a twopiece suit or blazers and skirts.
 Japans’ literacy rate is 99 percent.

 The Japanese stress education.
From an early age, students are expected to work hard to get into good universities.
 Parents closely monitor their children’s schoolwork.
 More than 87 percent of students complete high school.

Key Term
Cram Schools-
Private schools in
Japan that prepare students for entrance exams at top universities.

 Samurai were soldiers. They were honored for their military skills, bravery, and loyalty to their lords.
 After they were no longer needed they led in such other arts as the tea ceremonies and flower arrangements.

Key Term
Samurai- A
Japanese warrior who was a member of the military upper classes.



Sumo is Japan’s most popular traditional sport.
Sumo is a competitive sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet.

Key Term
Sumo- Japan’s most popular traditional sport.
The top sumo wrestlers are treated like royalty.

 In Japan, manga is produced weekly in
300 page comic book
 stories.
Japanese consider it cheap and entertainment for commuters who read it and throw it away.

 In the U.S. we treasure and collect comic books.
 In Japan manga is consumed but not collected.




Haiku is a traditional form of poetry from Japan. It is known for its simplicity and for its strict form of syllables.
Poems contain three lines: the first line has five syllables; the second has seven; and the last has five.
A haiku is traditionally written about nature.

Key Term

Key Term
Origami- The
Japanese art of folding paper into decorative shapes and figures.

Video- Origami

 The government of Japan presented thousands of
Oriental and Nanking Cherry trees to the United States in
1912 as a gesture of friendship between the two nations.
 The trees were planted in
Washington, D.C.

 Each April, Washington, D.C., holds a Cherry Blossom
Festival that includes a lengthy parade of marching bands.
 High school bands face tough state competition in order to represent their state at this annual event.

Video -Cherry Blossom Festival

Reading Handout- Establishing Modern Japan

 What has been the
“muddiest” point so far in this lesson? That is, what topic remains the least clear to you? (4 minutes)

 Work with a neighbor and compare your muddiest point with theirs. Compare what things are the same and what things are different?
(3 minutes)