Nation Building of Japan and Its Rise as an Imperial Power
•
1 like•280 views
1) The document discusses Japan's path toward becoming an imperial power in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It describes how Japan modernized its military, fought wars against China and Russia to gain recognition, and gradually revised unequal treaties. 2) Key events included establishing a national army in the 1870s, fighting Taiwan in 1874 and Korea in 1875, defeating China in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95, and stunningly defeating Russia in the 1904-05 Russo-Japanese War. 3) These conflicts demonstrated Japan's military strength and led Western powers like the UK to see Japan as a partner against Russian expansionism, helping Japan gain full diplomatic equality.
Recommended
More Related Content
What's hot
What's hot (20)
Viewers also liked
Viewers also liked (12)
Similar to Nation Building of Japan and Its Rise as an Imperial Power
Similar to Nation Building of Japan and Its Rise as an Imperial Power (20)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Nation Building of Japan and Its Rise as an Imperial Power
- 1. AYEA2317 Pembinaan Bangsa Jepun/ Nation Building of Japan 11th Week: 8 May 2014 Lecture 8 On Its Way to Imperial Power 1
- 2. From Reaction Papers (1) Apa berlaku kepada Karayukisan? Adakah mereka membuat keluarga di SEA yang mempunyai keterunan hingga kini? • Karayuki‐san was No.3 foreign currency earner for Japan at the turn of the 20th century, behind silk and coal. • Despite their contributions to Japan’s economy, Karayuki‐san came to be viewed as a national shame as Japan’s international status improved after it won the Sino‐Japanese War (1894‐95), Russo‐Japanese War (1904‐05), and World War One (1914‐18). • Also by the early 20th century, Japanese economy grew tremendously, largely due to war‐time booms and it did not need Karayuki‐san’s money any more. • Finally in 1920 the Japanese government declared the prohibition of overseas prostitution & Karayuki‐san were ordered to return home. • Of course, there were those who stayed behind or could not come back; it is difficult to find out what happened to them. Why could this be the case? 2
- 3. From Reaction Papers (2) Why Fukuzawa Yukichi did not work for the government? • Fukuzawa worked for the Bakufu until the Meiji Restoration; he did not get along with two biggest factions (Satsuma and Choshu) which controlled politics in Meiji Japan. Why is Fukuzawa’s portrait used for the ¥10,000 note even though he was not a politician nor a high government official? • Starting in 1980s, there are trends among Western European countries to use portraits of persons of culture rather than those of politicians. Japan followed the trend in 1984. • Who is he? ↓ ← 2013 3
- 4. A quick review of last week’s lecture • Saga of Karayuki‐san who made big financial contributions to Japan’s capital accumulation • Steps toward “civilized” Japan *From Ryo to Yen *Adoption of solar calendar *Western hairstyles and western dresses *Trains and modernized streets *Establishment of the University of Tokyo *Fukuzawa Yukichi and push for Bunmei Kaika *Rokumei Kan and western‐style diplomacy 4
- 5. What else? • Obviously Japan was trying very hard to become “civilized” by adopting Western manners in life style and diplomacy so that Western powers would agree to consider revising unequal treaties with Japan. • What else were needed for Japan to be accepted by Western powers as a “civilized” nation? • Adoption of the rule of laws and constitution • How could one do this? • By learning laws and constitutions from Europe • Two choices for Japan: UK and Germany • Why UK and Germany? • ITO Hirobumi, later the first PM of Japan, was sent to Germany & Austria to study laws for 17 months (1882‐83) • Implicitly the possession of colonies • How could one possess colonies? • By having strong army and experiences of overseas wars 5
- 6. Revising unequal treaties & becoming imperial power (1) • 1868: Meiji Restoration • 1871: Creation of Tenno’s army out of ex‐samurai of 3 han of Satsuma, Chōshu and Tosa • Between 1871 and 1873, Japan came to be divided into 6 military districts ← step toward unified army of ex‐samurai • 1873: Conscription to create a national army; In 1874, conscrip‐ ted soldiers for the first time joined the Tokyo military district. • In 1874, Taiwan “Expedition” by Japan as a retaliation against the massacre of 54 Ryukyuan sailors by aborigines in 1871. • Qing China paid compensation to Japan, tacitly acknowledging Japan’s control of Ryukyu. 6
- 7. Revising unequal treaties & becoming imperial power (2) • In Dec. of 1868, the Meiji government sent an envoy with sovereign message to King of Joseon to inform him of the Restoration of Tenno Rule in Japan and of its wish to establish treaty‐based modern relations with Korea. ⇔ Previously Japan=Korea relations were through Tokugawa Shogun. • Joseon King refused to accept the message, saying it contained the Chinese characters 皇 (“royal, imperial”) and 勅 (“imperial decree”) which should be used only by Chinese Emperor. ← This is still an emotional issue for Koreans even today whose Presidents and mass media often call Tenno 天皇 as King of Japan 日王. • Subsequent Japanese envoys were not accepted either for various reasons, e.g., they were wearing Western dresses, etc. • In Sept. 1875 an armed encounter took place between Korea & Japan near Ganghwa Island. • Japan‐Korea treaty (unequal treaty) of 1876 7
- 10. Implications of Sino‐Japanese War • Sino‐Japanese War of 7/1894 ‐ 3/1895 was the first major war Japan fought overseas, moreover, fought against mighty Qing China and won. • Significantly, the war was fought not in China nor Japan but mainly where? 1887 • Korea had been in turmoil since Ganghwa Island Incident of 1875 (combination of palace intrigues and policy differences) while Russia, Japan and China were interested in it for strategic reasons. Donghak Peasant Rebellion of 1894 triggered the war. • 4/1895: Treaty of Shimonoseki (unequal treaty); Taiwan became a Japanese colony, and Korea became “independent” from China → 1897: establishment of “Great Korea Empire” & Emperor皇帝10
- 12. Revising unequal treaties & becoming imperial power (5) 1898: implementation of civil law; Ie‐system was legislated. 1899: Japanese became legally “European” in Dutch East Indies. ⑦1899: the 1894 treaty finally became effective which had been signed by 15 countries; foreigners allowed to live and travel freely in Japan; still partial tariff autonomy. 1902: first Anglo‐Japanese treaty 1904‐05: Russo‐Japanese War over Russian expansion to Man‐ churia and Korea, and Japan won to the surprise of the world. → Russian troops withdrew from Korea and Manchuria and ceded their “rights ” given by Qing China to Southern Manchuria to Japan, ceded southern half of Sakhalin, and acknowledged Japan’s dominant interests in Korea. → Major blow against Russian Tsar → Soviet Revolution 12
- 13. Russo‐Japanese War, 8/2/1904 – 5/9/1905 • The first Anglo‐Japan treaty of 1902 enhanced Japan’s status in the world politics; it was also essential to Japan’s victory in the war. Note the war was fought around Korea and Southern Manchuria. ↓ • Why did UK signed the treaty with Japan? 13
- 14. Geopolitical background of Japan’s newly‐ found world status (1) • UK had always been reluctant to revise unequal treaty with Japan because it was beneficial to them. ←They were the greatest world empire of the time and also had the biggest economic stake in Asia. • However, they started changing their position around 1890 as they became afraid of Russian advancement to East Asia via land and also of possible cooperation between Russia and France; UK controlled the sea lane between Europe and Asia. • But they didn’t want to confront Russia on its own. Thus, UK wanted Japan to be a restraining force for Russian expansion in East Asia. • ①New half‐equal treaty with UK of 1894 and ②first Anglo‐ Japanese treaty of 1902 must be understood in this geopolitical framework. • “① ” made it easy for Japan to fight Qing China (tacit go‐sign from UK), and “②” to fight Russia (tacit assistances to Japan). 14
- 16. Some consequences of Russo‐Japanese War • 1905‐06: Japanese diplomatic missions in major Western countries were elevated from ministers to ambassadors. • Japan began to accelerate Its move to colonize Korea, first by asking major Western powers to acknowledge Japan’s special interests in Korea → on its way to imperial power. • On the other hand, Japan became a hope of Asia in the eyes of many nationalists in the region. ⑧1911: Japan at long last regained full tariff autonomy; it was 53 years since the signing of the initial treaty with US. 16
- 17. The age of imperialism: Japan’s colonization of Korea (1) • Japan‐Korea treaty (unequal treaty) of 1876: consular jurisdiction, freedom of Japanese to live outside opened ports and engage in business activities, etc.. • Korea got into turmoil after 1876, caused by combination of palace intrigues and policy differences on Westernization. • Treaty of Shimonoseki (unequal treaty) of 4/1895; Korea became “independent” from China • Japan–Korea Treaty of 2/1904: Japan advises on the improvement of imperial administration of Korea, protects its imperial household & defend the empire’s territory and its independence, etc. • Japan–Korea Agreement of August 1904 (Korea was under Japanese occupation after Russo‐Japanese War): Korea accepts advisors appointed by Japan on financial matters and diplomatic matters; the first adviser for domestic matters was a Japanese and one for diplomatic matters was an American. 17
- 18. The age of imperialism: Japan’s colonization of Korea (2) • Japan’s successfully negotiations with Western powers to acknowledge its special & dominant interests in Korea: Taft–Katsura Agreement of 7/1905 and Root‐Takahira Agreement of 11/1908 with US; Renewal of Anglo‐Japanese Alliance of 8/1905; Treaty of Portsmouth of 9/1905 with Russia. • All of these contained the mutual recognition of existing “special rights” over semi‐colonial or colonial “possessions.” • Japan–Korea Treaty of 11/1905: Japan took over Korea’s rights of diplomacy and Korea became Japan’s protectorate. • Hague Secret Emissary Affair of 1907: Korean Emperor sent emissaries to Hague Convention of 1907 to appeal the invalidity of, among others, the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1905, but they were not admitted to the Convention → Japan–Korea Treaty of 1907 which deprived Korea of all rights to govern. • Japan–Korea (Annexation) Treaty of 1910 18
- 19. Two possible choices for Japan to make in the early 20th century • After unequal treaties with Western powers were revised and Japan’s world status elevated (the only non‐European country to exchange “ambassadors,” not “ministers,” with major Western countries), there were “theoretically” two possible choices for Japan to make. ①To lead the fight against Western imperialism, together with other Asian nations, or ②”Out of Asia, Into Europe” （Datsu‐a‐Nyū‐ō 脱亜入欧） as Fukuzawa Yukichi, founder of Keio University, famously said and to become imperial power. 19
- 21. Asian students in Japan • Many students from Asia came to Japan to study since around 1900; some were sponsored by their own government and many by their parents and relatives. ＊Korea sent 300 government‐funded students in 1881, 50 in 1904, and later many privately funded students came; altogether 583 students studying in 1906. ＊China sent 13 government‐funded students in 1896 (among them were Lǔ Xùn and Zhou Enlai); about 10,000 Chinese students studying in Japan in 1905, mostly funded privately. ＊Phan Boi Chau, a Vietnamese nationalist, sent 200 students to Japan in 1907, funded by private donations. • Sadly, Japan did not live up to these students’ expectations. For example, Vietnamese students were expelled after Franco‐ Japanese treaty was signed in 1907; France agreed for equal treaty and Japan recognized French colonization of Indo‐China (Vietnam, Laos, & Cambodia). 21
- 22. On its way to imperial power • So, Japan pursued “the second choice,” obviously an easier one than the “the first choice” for Japan to make at the time. • One problem for the first choice was that Japan could not find partners in Asia to fight together against Western powers. • Logical partners were neighboring China and Korea. • However, it was not clear if their governments really wanted to work with Japan which was considered to be less civilized than they. • Also “modernizing” groups lost power struggle against “traditional” groups at the royal/imperial courts, in Korea in mid‐1880s and in China at the end of 19th century. • Fukuzawa actually tried to support the “modernizing” group in Korea both morally and financially. Interestingly, it was right after the “modernizing” group lost power struggle in Korea that Fukuzawa wrote an article titled “Datsu‐a‐Nyū‐ō ” (Out of Asia, Into Europe) in 1884. 22