Imperial Japan: 18951931

1
Imperial Japan 1895-1931

• I. Late Meiji (1895-1912)

2
Foreign Policy and Empire Building

• Aim to achieve national security and equality of
  national status
• Japanese colonialism
• Korea as a dagger pointed at the heart of Japan
• Admiral Alfred T. Mahan
• Status, economic, and strategic
• End of Extraterritoriality

3
Japanese Expansion in China

• Review Sino-Japanese War ends with the Treaty of
  Shimonoseki (1895)
• Japans economic presence increases Exports,
  right to build factories
• Japanese outrage over Triple Intervention
  increase military spending

4
Origins of Russo-Japanese War

• 1896 Russia runs tracks across Manchuria directly
  to Vladivostok
• 1898 Obtains lease on Port Arthur on Liaodong
  Peninsula
• Japanese assume tripe intervention a ploy to deny
  Japan territory
• Russia sides with anti-Japanese forces in Korea
• Japan prepares for War forms alliance with Great
  Britain
• Remain neutral in war against a single power but
  join if against multiple powers

5
Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)

• Fought on land (mostly Manchuria) and at Sea
• Japan destroyed Russian navy in two spectacular
  battles
• Japan gains new respect from Asians and Westerns
• TR invites belligerents to Portsmouth New
  Hampshire

6
Portsmouth Treaty

• Russia recognizes Japanese supremacy in Korea
• Transfer of Russian interests in Manchuria
• Cedes half of Sakhalin Islands
• Significance
• Japanese expansion into Manchuria
• South Manchurian Railway Company
• Korea forced to become Japanese Protectorate

7
The Loss of Korean Independence and Colonial Rule

• 1896-1945

8
19th Century Background

• 1876 Treaty of Kanghwa
• Using gunboat diplomacy Japan imposes on Korea an
  unequal treaty opening up commercial relations
• 1884 Kapsin Coup the Li-Ito Convention
• 1894 Sino-Japanese War
• 1894 Kabo Reforms

9
Kabo Reforms

• Following the Sino-Japanese War series of
  sweeping reforms instituted by Japanese and
  Pro-Japanese modernizers Court dominated by
  Japan
• Leaders of Kapsin coup appointed to head
  government ministries
• Establishment of Modern Government
• Abolished the Civil Service Exam
• Attempted to eliminate class distinctions and
  slavery

10
Reaction to Kabo Reforms

• Queen Min and Min clan lead opposition movement
  to modernization resentment against leaders of
  Kapsin coup
• 1895 Queen Min assassinated by Japanese thugs and
  soldiers in the Palace
• King takes additional steps to modernize
  including edict to cut off topknot
• Riots from Confucianists growing pressure for
  Russia

11
Transition to Colonial Rule

• 1896 King escapes from palace flees to Russian
  embassy
• Dismissed reform cabinet
• New cabinet reverses reforms edicts
• Russia begins to dominate in Korea displacing
  Japan
• Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)
• Taft-Katusura Agreement
• violates terms of Treaty of Amity and Commerce
  signed with United States

12
Protectorate

• Japan appoints advisors in all Korean ministries
• November 1905 establishes protectorate Emperor
  Kojong and ministers refuse to sign treaty
• Ito Hirobumi appointed resident general directly
  responsible to Emperor
• Maintain independent Korea opposes
  colonization

13
Annexation of Korea

• Appeals sent to heads of foreign states and to
  the Hague
• 1907 Kojong persuaded to appoint crown prince
  acting monarch
• Riots break out Korean military disbanded
• August 22, 1910 Korea forced to signed treaty of
  annexation

14
II. The Taisho Period (1912-1926) and the 1920s
15
Taisho Political Crisis (1912-1913)

• Financial conditions force cuts in spending
• Unable to fund domestic program and new divisions
  in military
• Prime Minister Saionji forced out of office
• Mass demonstrations
• Attempt at imperial order fails
• Significance first time party majority, back by
  popular opinion, had overthrew a cabinet

16
Japan during World War I

• August 1914 Japan declares war on Germany seizes
  German holdings in China
• January 1915 presents 21 demands to China gains
  additional concessions but stirs up Chinese
  protest
• Japanese attempt to prevent Bolshevik return to
  Eastern Siberia
• Japanese economy booms becomes creditor nation
• Wages did not keep up with inflation leads to
  rice riots

17
Washington Conference

• Four Power Pact France, Great Britain, Japan,
  and the United States
• Limit construction of capital ships to fixed
  ratio
• 355
• Policy of conciliation with United States and
  China

18
Tokyo-Yokohama Devastation

• September 1923
• Earthquake and fires
• Mob violence against Koreans
• Police round up socialists, anarchists, and
  Communists as security measure

19
Origins of Japanese Fascism

• Tanaka departs from conciliatory approach sends
  troops to Shandong
• June 1928 Japanese Army officers assassinate
  Zhang Zuolin
• Harbinger of future unilateral army actions

20
Video Resources

• Road to Infamy (Video D-18)