Midterm I.D. Terms Flashcards
Iwakura Mission
From 1871-73, several key government figures went on the Iwakura Mission, 18 months of traveling through the US and Europe to learn about modern practices. This fostered interest/awe for innovations and anger for inequality on the global stage. While they were away, Saigo Takamori pushed for an invasion of Korea to force open trade; this was quelled but the idea remained for later
Satsuma Rebellion
A reactionary rebellion against Meiji policies where Saigo Takamori led the Satsuma Rebellion and Eto Shinpei attacked the prefectural government in Saga, Kyushu. They wanted things back the way they had been before (85).
Saigo had withdrawn to his home in Kagoshima and formed a private military academy, eventually succeeding from Japan in all but name by 1876, and leading a failed march/attack on Tokyo in 1877 that took three weeks to crush; Saigo committed suicide and remains a popular hero (86).
Saigo Takamori
A samurai who led rebels in Satsuma by agitating anti-Bakufu sentiments that Hisamitsu had restrained; he had been denied advancement because of the hereditary system and questioned the effectiveness of elite samurai rulers, instead wanting shishi (young men of spirit to be the new leaders).
He had withdrawn to his home in Kagoshima and formed a private military academy, eventually succeeding from Japan in all but name by 1876, and leading a failed march/attack on Tokyo in 1877 that took three weeks to crush; he committed suicide and remains a popular hero (86).
Sat-Cho Alliance
An alliance between Satsuma and Choshu, two Tozama vassal domains that had historically been regarded with suspicion and kept on the periphery. They became wealthy through trade with the West (their location was ideal) and they eventually worked together to storm the capital and get the shogun to resign, ceremonially giving power back to the emperor (see Hane 10).
Okubo Toshimichi
Okubo Toshimichi was a government figure whose new national tax stabilized state revenues, whereas before the market value of rice directly impacted the government’s profits; the new tax issued a national land survey that issued deeds, i.d’ed landowners, and assessed the land’s value to fix the revenues; it shifted the risk onto the taxpayer, as opposed to the government, who would have to sell more rice to compensate if the rice’s value fell; this made the people more connected to the central government
Charter Oath (Five Article Oath) of 1868
capitalized on the people’s desire to participate in government and promised: (1) deliberative assemblies, (2) roles for all classes, (3) freedom of vocation/social mobility, (4) no more unfair old customs, (5) spread of knowledge to strengthen the country (78)
Fukuzawa Yukichi
He was a VIP intellectual who helped to develop popular political and social consciousness in Japan through his study groups and writings. The most famous urban study groups eventually became real universities: Fukuzawa Yukichi’s group became Keio University and Okuma Shigenobu’s group became Waseda University. The Meiji Six Society founded the Meiji Six Journal (Meiroku Zasshi), the most vip Enlightenment publication, and Fukuzawa Yukichi was its most vip contributor
Okuma Shigenobu
a scholar whose grass-roots study group eventually became Waseda University (82). In 1882, his more moderate Progressive Party (Kaishinto) formed (84). He eventually became the foreign minister but he failed to undo the extraterritoriality (unequal treaties) and he lost a leg in an attack from a member of the ultra-nationalist group Genyosha (Dark Ocean Society) who killed himself after throwing a bomb (92).
Freedom and People’s Rights Movement
The most important political drive/movement of the 1870s and 80s was “movement for freedom and people’s rights” and they centered around a need for a constitution (80). Both within and outside the government, people called for a constitution, and some even called the new government a dictatorship, a “new ‘Sat-Cho,’” desiring broadened political powers; over the next few years ~200 local parties formed and they were increasingly more organized and influential in the government.
In 1874, former samurai (ex: Itagaki Taisuke of Tosa) created the first political association for “people’s rights: Patriotic Public Party (Aikoku Koto) (80- 81). Aikoku Koto demanded action, a strong nation, and free discussion, as outlined in their 1874 statement “Memorial on the Establishment of a Representative Assembly”, which garnered them a lot of support and fame, though many of Itagaki’s initial movements ended up being unsucessful (81). Itagaki focused on helping impoverished samurai and some in the Party took on the aggressive samurai belief of bakumatsu spirit, or “men of action” (81).
Matsukata Deflation
Finance Minister Matsukata Masayoshi’s economy-fixing efforts that led to price drops and agricultural commodity crashes, forcing small businesses to take loans that inevitably defaulted, and leading to rebellions from the Debtors or Poor Farmers parties in places like Chichibu. One tenth of Japan’s arable land changed hands in one decade
Ashio Copper Mine
provided huge amounts of copper, but this led to horrible pollution and illness nearby, spurring Tanaka Shozo to lead a series of rebellions and even appeal to the emperor for relief
Zaibatsu
“financial clique,” companies such as Sumitomo and Mitsui which held monopolies who often exploited old family connections to get ahead; vip to economy; spanned entire ranges of business, trade, and finance sectors; likely formed through a combination of suitable economic conditions, a rapidly growing economy, family ties/loyalties, cheap labor, extra revenues, government aid/involvement, and a slowly growing population
Natsume Soseki
Soseki lived between 1867-1916, and he was on the 1000 yen bill for decades. Wrote lots of fiction stories, including I am a Cat, Botchan, Mon, Kojin, and Kokoro. Graduated from an elite Tokyo school and was groomed to become Japan’s English literature expert; to that end he was sent to London for 2 years to study (miserable). Taught in southwest Japan and started serialized fiction writing in his 30s out of the blue. Soseki was philosophical, brooding artist; angst ridden artist
Yasukuni
The Tokyo Shrine to Welcome (War Dead) Souls, aka the Yasukuni (Pacify the Nation) Shrine was dedicated to veterans; part of the government’s efforts to preserve Shinto as the vip religion in Japan through 1868’s Department of Divinity, their supporting 1869 proclamation, and other acts, such as connecting Shinto to veterans and those who died in war
Kojong
Korea was unstable since its pro-reform King Kojong faced opposition from anti-foreigners; in 1882, this exploded with an anti-foreign coup that unseated the king and killed several Japanese officials. The Japanese used this coup as an excuse to intercede and station their own troops there; overall, Japan aligned with Korea’s reformist “independence” faction, as opposed to the anti-foreign new government (118).
Kim Ok-Kyun
In 1884, reformist Kim Ok-kyun lead a failed coup in Korea, spurred on by Japanese scholars/teachings; the coup was put down by Chinese military forces and angry Koreans who resented the Japanese influence; several Japanese were killed; some Japanese wanted revenge but the government was wary of another fight/war. This lead to the Osaka Incident in 1885, where Japanese police stopped a plot in Osaka to send a militia to Korea; key conspirators included Oi Kentaro and Fukuda Hideko (118)
Tonghak
a religious-based Korean independence movement against Korean elites and foreigners that took control of a lot of territory, spurring the Korean government to ask the Chinese for help. It led to Japan using the Chinese involvement as an excuse to start the Sino-Japanese War under the guise of protecting Japanese residents in Korea. They seized the Korean palace and forced an end to Korea’s tributary relationship with China (120)
Sino-Japanese War
Sino-Japanese War was fought primarily in naval battles between Japan and Qing China over control of Korea and ended with total Japanese victory, forcing the world to see Japan as a power and competitor and fostering national pride. Japan got 360 million yen in reparations, feuling military and industrial development (120-122).
Treaty of Shimonoseki
The treaty that ended the Sino-Japanese War was signed in Shimonoseki (Japanese port) and Japan made it clear that they wanted more territory; they took Taiwan with force and held the Liaodong peninsula, but the Russians, French, and Germans, who were working together, took that one back (120). The Liaodong issue pissed people off and made them view the West as a menace; journalist Tokutomi Soho never got over it (122).
Diet
A government body that varied in size and considered laws, taxes/tax expansion, local issues, social issues, budget questions, what/where should receive funding, and more. They passed the Factory Act in 1911, trying to ease conditions in factories. The first six sessions of the Diet saw extreme fighting over the budget and deep divisions between various political parties (130-1).
Saionji Kinmochi
after Friends of Constitutional Government (Rikken Seiyukai) was organized by Ito Hirobumi in 1900, two men swapped around the role of PM and one was Saionji Kimmochi (Ito’s protege), but he eventually resigned under the Taisho emperor (131-133).
Narikin
Means nouveau riche, aka people who are/have new money. Often caricatured in cartoons and the country as a whole and presented as a fat business man with a lot of money. A distinguishing feature of the 1914-1920 war era that represented the overall economic and inflationary boom of the period. They prospered where others struggled, but at the same time, their white-collar employees often received huge bonuses and did well for themselves. They stopped doing well after the stock and silk markets crashed in 1920, leading to layoffs and several crises (143-4).
Great Kanto Earthquake
On September 1st, 1923, this earthquake struck Tokyo and the land around it. Hundreds of thousands died/were lost and the buildings were devastated. This led to numerous fires, chemical leaks, and broken gas lines, making the problem much worse. Of the buildings that survived, a lot were made in the traditional Japanese style, spurring some to reconsider science and traditional arts. In the years afterwards, Tokyo slowly rebuilt (144).
Yuaikai
aka Suzuki Bunji’s Friendly Society, a union that many abused/disillusioned workers, such as Uchida Toshichi, joined. It had a 7-year-long history and thousands of members. It eventually became much more militant and went by the name Dai Nihon Rodo Sodomei, or the Greater Japan Federation of Labor, threatening and going on many strikes. Many more unions like it followed (156).
Gin-bura AND Sarariiman
“Ginza cruising,” a term given to leisure time that became available as society modernized which became popular as excitement for the new era grew. A new term also emerged for middle-class salary workers: ___________, or salary man (eventually came to refer to any city-dwelling man). He appeared in cartoons throughout the ‘20s. Overall, this period saw an increase in modernization, economic activity, and class shifts (159-160).
Moga
aka modan gaaru, basically Japan’s flapper girl. She was modern, sexually liberated, wore Western clothing, and sported a liberated body. She embodied the excited spirit of the times. She was basically the opposite of “good wife, wise mother.” The mobo was her male counterpart. Modern young people like them were often linked to communism and other social anxieties by traditional figures (160-163).
Rice Riots
a wave of petitioning and peaceful and violent protests over the inflated price of rice. This shocked the nation so much that it made Yamagata Aritomo step away from office and hand the reins over to Hara Kei, who did well for several years and managed to quell riots (167-8).
Hirohito/Showa
Emperor during WW2 (Showa, “Shining Peace,” is his reign name) and regent for the last few years of his father’s reign. He was well-trained for his role and was kept well-informed of current events. He bolstered his power through the Diet and other offices that were technically working in his name (170-1)
Yoshihito/Taisho
- son of the Meiji Emperor who ruled during Japan’s progressive, roaring 20’s equivalent period.
- When the Meiji Emperor died the spirit of the era died with him, General Nogi’s dual suicide with his wife on the day of the emperor’s funeral confrimed this (see Kokoro for commentary); his son’s reign got off to a rocky start with military budget fighting in the Diet that resulted in Saionji resigning (132-3)
- The Taisho political crisis saw many violent riots, especially over the treaty of the Russo-Japanese War (134), see table of riots on pg. 135
- He struggled with poor health during his reign and died in 1926; his struggles led many to believe he had always been sickly and deranged. (166)
- He is often linked to the progressive and positive attitude of his era, which of often described as imperial democracy (166-7)
Yamagata Aritomo
student of Yoshida Shōin who went on to be a key feature of the Meiji government, often acting as Prime Minister. He was at the forefront of politics and hot topics.
For example, he encouraged the formation of a conscript army but was opposed by those who feared arming peasants, such as Okubo Toshimichi and Iwakura Tomomi. When he returned from a trip to Europe, he was even more convinced that a conscription army was necessary to bulk up their armed forces, and eventually it was declared that all men starting at 20 owed 3 years of military service and 4 years on reserve; it was a very unpopular decision and many people sought exemptions or to buy their way out of service
Hara Kei
led Seiyukai after 1904, worked in government and journalism and the Diet, got assassinated in 1921; master of the “politics of compromise” and often made deals, such as in 1904 when he pledged to support Katsura’s wartime budget in exchange for making Prince Saionji (prez. of Seiyukai) the next PM (132)
