Japan as a Modern Nation-State Flashcards
Define Sino-Japanese War (1894-95)
Fought over control of Korea, China lost and humiliated, gave up Taiwan to Japanese.
Define the Meji Restoration (1868) and End of Tokugawa status system.
Previously Japan unified as a nation by a social order enforced by Tokugawa Shogunate. political time period of restoring the imperial power in Japan with Emperor Meiji “restored” to his throne. The purpose of building a rich country and a strong army.
Define Russo-Japanese War(1904-05)
Define Discourse of overpopulation and settler colonialism in Japan
Land acts a limiting factor to population growth, so they should expand land, idea stemmed fr Malthus. The settlement of shizoki, the acquisition of Ainu land and the claiming of Taiwan.
Ainu as native Americans (social Darwinism) , “Japan in America”
Define MarcArthur’s Reforms/”Reverse course”
Dissolve JP’s military forces
give women’s right to vote
prosecutes war criminals
established postwar constitution
Explain Meji Restoration (1868) and End of Tokugawa status system.
Previous Tokugawa status system in 4 classes: Samurai, farmer, artisane, merchants under a feudal government system. Arrival of Black ships catalyzes structural weaknesses, along with the arrival of Matthew Perry and forcing Japan to negotiate with America. Political struggles that unseat the Shogun and made Japanese realization for tech and weapons. From feudal society to market economy. Aggressive Westernization and Modernization. Beginning of intense nation-building era.
Significance of Meji Restoration (1868) and End of Tokugawa status system.
Japan’s effort to modernize based on a modern political system since they did not want to be left behind by the Western world. Following era has political, social and economic change in Japan. Japan then became a strong power in global politics, although showing it’s power mainly trough the East Asian colonies.Treaty of Kanegawa (1854) which is the first treaty between Japan and U.S. to open trade.
Explain MacArthur’s Reforms/”Reverse course”
The new constitution of Japan established a parliamentary democracy, enshrining principles such as popular sovereignty, respect for basic human rights.
MacArthur also implemented land reform and education reform, promoting women’s right
The U.S. began to rehabilitate former Japanese elites, including bureaucrats, businessmen, and politicians, who had been sidelined during the initial reform period.
Significance of MacArthur’s Reforms/”Reverse course”
It reshape JP’s society, politics, and economy.
The reverse course was seen as a strategic move to stabilize Japan and strengthen its anti-communist stance.
Explain Discourse of overpopulation and settler colonialism in Japan and explain why it is important.
Overpopulation in Japan was an issue and the solution was to expand it’s territory, Malthusianism: justified colonization of lands by stating they were “overpopulated” relocating Shizoku to Hokkaido as a solution to poverty and instability in mainland Japan. Modeled after Anglo-American settler colonialism.
Define Nation Building.
Nation Building in Meiji:
Mandatory primary education, universal conscription for men ( embrace of modern science for the “health” of the national body. Modernization of state institutions such as police, public health and welfare, interstate diplomacy.
Modern era brings notions of nationhood.
Define mobilization and militarization
Domestic space secure, state proceeds to begin a campaign of military expansion modelled on western colonialism in the region.
Define Empire Building.
Meiji recognized importance of overseas colonies in terms of access to resources for the industry, security (national defense), prestige “joining the West”. Expansion policy in emerging international Emerging international presence.
