Emergence of Modern Japan

1
Emergence of Modern Japan

• 1874-1894

2
Political Developments

• Japan governed by an oligarchy
• a small inner circle governed in name of emperor
• 1874 Military expedition to Taiwan
• Mollify Saigo Takamori and supporters
• China forced to pay indemnity and recognize
  Japanese sovereignty over the Ryukyu Islands

3
Origins of Satsuma Rebellion

• 1871 -- Saigo Takamori given command of Imperial
  Guard and appointed to Council of State
• Controversy over question of conscription
• Follow European universal conscription
• Or allow Samurai to maintain monopoly?
• Saigo privately supports universal conscription
  but does not make his stand public
• Advocates attack on Korea plan rejected
• Saigo resigns, followed by others split the
  government

4
Satsuma Rebellion

• Saigo opens a private school with emphasis on
  military science and physical training
  disaffected samurai flock to support him
• With uprisings elsewhere government felt
  threatened by private school
• 1877 Saigo disciples attack arsenal and navy yard
• Saigo convinced to lead rebellion suffered
  disasterous defeats at conscript army
• Saigo commits seppuku

5
Post-Satsuma

• Saigo dies under official condemnation but
  quickly reversed.
• Saigo becomes national hero
• Occasional violence and protest
• Against government policy
• Against monopoly held by Choshu and Satsuma
• Movement for popular Rights
• Death of oligarchs younger men take leadership
• Discussion of Constitution

6
Formation of Parties

• Opposition Parties Jiyuto and Kaishinto
• Hampered by restrictive laws
• Press Laws
• Public Meeting Law
• Peace Preservation Law
• Government increases effectiveness
• Ended local self-government
• New law codes enacted
• New government organized on German model

7
Emperor and the Constitution

• Shrine Shinto and Sect Shinto
• Apotheosis of emperor maintained and reemphasized
• Meiji constitution completed in 1889
• Monarchy
• Diet
• Genro elder statesmen

8
Civilization and Enlightenment

• Fukuzawa Yukichi
• Strongly influenced by European Enlightenment
  firm belief in progress
• Reevaluation of China now viewed as unchanging
  and therefore decadent
• Western style Individualism and Egalitarianism
• Movement in history towards democracy individual
  liberty makes for national strength
• Natural law and li (principle)

9
Social Darwinism

• Natural law displaced by social Darwinism
• Explains why Japan was unable to resist Western
  powers justified Japanese efforts to develop
  national strength
• Justified aggressive expansion parallels Western
  justifications for imperialism
• Accepted by Fukuzawa

10
Conservativism and Nationalism

• Rise of Japanese Fascism
• Tide of conservative thought ways to be both
  modern and Japanese
• Modern scholarship clashed with traditional
  values
• Influenced by German thought
• Japanese uniqueness
• National progress
• Emphasis on state, not individual
• National essence
• Cultural exceptionalism and political chauvinism

11
Imperial Rescript on Education

• Read document identify important elements
• Confucianism identified with throne
• Premium placed on patriotic service to state and
  to throne
• Indoctrinated into children

12
The Zaibatsu

• Sale of government enterprises at public auction
• Well-connected companies controlled the modern
  sector of the economy horizontal control
• Most were new entrepreneurs exception was the
  house of Mitsui
• Mitsubishi zaibatsu
• Samurai origins
• Fusion of ambition and patriotism
• Group solidarity, mutual responsibility,
  paternalism

13
Korea and the Sino-Japanese War 1894-1895

• Yi dynasty (1392-1910) in decline
• Internal problems and external pressures
• 1876 Japan imposes on Korea an unequal treaty
• Chinese and Japanese troops withdraw
• Tonghak Rebellion Korean government requests
  Chinese assistance Japan sends troops as well
• Japan quickly defeats China

14
Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895)

• Recognition of Korea as Independent State
• China cedes Taiwan and Pescadores
• Unequal treaty provisions
• Triple Intervention
• Japan forced to retrocede the Liaodong Peninsula
  by Russia, Germany, and France