Chapter 5Fascist Japan

Focuses1. What led to the rise of Fascism in Japan?

– Failure of democratic govt.– Corruption within govt.– Failure of govt to solve economic problems.– Rise of alternate power– Worsening relations between the Japan & the West

2. What was the impact of militarism on the lives of Japanese?

– Political Control – Foreign aggression policy– Social Control – Education policies – Economic Policies – Increase in number of factories and

production

A Quick Glimpse

History of Japan

Meiji Period (Meiji Restoration)

Taisho Period - Democracy

Showa Period - Military

1868

1912

1926

1989

Meiji Period (Meiji Restoration)

Taisho Period - Democracy

Showa Period - Military

-United Japan around the Emperor

-Accomplished a flourishing economy

-Started up a powerful Army & Navy

-Democratic government elected

-Faced setbacks due to internal & external factors

- With increasing emphasis on the Emperor & greatness of Japan, focus turned to their military might

Signs of Westernisation during Meiji Restoration

Fascism

All groups &

individuals must put aside self-

interests for the nation.

A strong leader is needed to create a strong nation. He cannot be answerable

to anyone, not even a government.

We all have a sense of belonging to our

nation. We know that we are citizens of a

great place.

The Rise of Fascism

There were other factors and events that pushed the Japanese people to support Fascism.

Recall: Fascism calls for a strong and united nation. All people must put aside their interests and put the Nation first

National Reconstruction!

Military Strength!

Respect for Authority!

By the end of this chapter, We, the people of Japan, would believe in:

What led to the rise of Fascism?

Internal Factors External Factors

Worsening Relations between Japan & the

West

Changes within Japan

Internal Reasons

1. Failure of the Democratic Government

Members of the Democratic Government

Set up in the 19th Century (Meiji Restoration)

Emperor

Diet (Parliament)Genro (retired

Japanese statesmen)

Taisho Emperor

Diet – Limited Power

-Diet met every 3 months to discuss national issues.

- But they could only question decisions made by cabinet ministers.

-They could not make any changes to the decisions.

-Real power was with the Emperor and Genro

-The Army & Navy ministers were more powerful than the rest of the cabinet. Had direct access to the Emperor and had veto power.

E.g.

Senior Army officers suggested using large part of the budget for Japanese Army. The Diet disagreed, but could not change the decision.

2. Corruption within Government

- 1920, Taisho Period, also known as Taisho Democracy, power transferred to the Diet from the Genro.

- To get into the Diet, one had to be elected.

- Participate in election campaigns.- Zaibatsus were necessary to fund

campaigns

large, wealthy Japanese companies

I need your help in financing my election campaign. Can you assist me?

I can only help you if you do me a little favour…

- Zaibatsus, who helped finance election campaigns, used their influence to pass policies that benefit big companies

- As a result, the public lost confidence in the Democratic Government.

-They no longer supported the government.

CandidateZaibatsus

3. Failure to solve Economic Problems

In the 1920’s, Japan was facing severe economic problems. The democratic government could not solve these problems effectively.

(a) Farmer’s difficult living conditions

(b) Worker’s difficult living conditions

(c) Trade Imbalance

(d) Great Depression

New economic industriesearly 20th Century

• Shipping industries• Textiles – silk and cotton goods• Production of gas, electricity, glass and chemical• Agriculture modernised• Communication modernised

Outcome – output & export shrank after WWI when European countries could not fulfil their supply orders.

Problems with Economic Development

• Population boom

1900 – 45 million

1930 – 64 million• Limited land

Mountainous area – little land for food production

- Low food production, eg. Rice• No natural resources

Raw materials needed to be imported to drive industrial sector.

(a) Farmer’s Difficult living conditions

- Half of all farmers had less than 1 ¼ acres of land (size of a soccer field)

Could only grow limited amount of rice, therefore hardly any profit

- Other half rented lands from landlords. They paid very high prices.

(b) Worker’s Difficult working conditions

1920’s - Working conditions: - Lived in crowded, unhygienic rooms provided

by company- Worked more than 10 hours a day- Could only leave workplace a few times a

month- Workers felt abandoned by their government

(Democratic government did not care for them)

Why such long hours?

(c) Trade Imbalance

Before 1926, Japan actually prospered from global trade.

Cheap electronic goods & textiles

Raw materials to run their major industries eg fuel

(export)(import)

But, by 1921, most European countries had recovered from WWI, Japan began to face economic problems.

- Japan did not have enough raw materials to run its industries.

- Most had to be imported.- Therefore, Japan suffered from a trade

imbalance- Imbalance was made worse when Japan

had to import more food for its population

(d) Great Depression

Great Depression happened in 1929.

Countries wanted to protect their locally-produced goods, so they adopted a policy of

Protectionism

Protectionism is when a country taxes foreign goods. They do this so that their local goods will be cheaper and people will buy local goods, thus ‘protecting’ their own industries.

How did Protectionism affect Japan?

High taxes on Japanese silk

imported to USA

Price of Japanese silk in USA rises

Americans cannot afford to buy Japanese silk

Americans either bought silk or other clothes made in their own

country

Japan cannot sell as much silk

Effects of Great Depression

- In 1932, price of Japanese silk was less than 1/5 of price in 1923.

- Led to economic depression in Japan

How did economic depression happen in Japan? Read page

131 of your textbook

Fall in price of Japanese silk…

- Caused fewer goods being produced- Caused businessmen who owned silk factories

to go bankrupt- Caused increased in unemployment as less

workers were needed- Caused Japanese to have lesser money in

general- Caused other businesses in Japan to lose profits

• Japan was now going through an economic depression of its own.

• Unemployed farmers then joined the army and patriotic societies to bring changes to the country.

National reconstruction, military strength & respect for authority were becoming more and more popular… (bring back the glory days)

What did this mean for the Democratic Government?

4. Rise of Alternate Powers

a. Showa Restoration

b. Patriotic Societies

c. Militarism as an option

= RISE of NATIONALISM

a. Showa Restoration

1930’s in Japan

Economic Effects of the Great

Depression

Education System that taught:

-Nationalism

-Loyalty to Emperor

-Self-sacrifice

-Obedience

Foreign Opposition to growing empire

Sonno Joi!

- Emperor was glorified

- Promoted Japanese virtues of self-sacrifice & service to the nation

Youths were blindly loyal to the Emperor and Nation.

Militarism! Aggressive foreign policy!

b. Patriotic societies

• Extremely nationalistic and believes that Japan was superior to other countries

• Some societies wanted to set up a military dictatorship for the Emperor

• Some were either members or had close connections with Army and Navy

c. Army’s & Navy’s influence over the government

- Had a lot of independence from government

- Successful in acquiring more colonies in China & Manchuria (following the West)

- As their popularity grew, so did their influence

- Leaders that did not support their actions were shot

External Factors

1. Worsening relations between Japan & the West

General Trends:

i. America’s policies

ii. Unfair Treatment

2. Resurgence of Chinese Nationalism

i. America’s policies

- United States started to control many smaller islands in the Asia-Pacific region that were rich in resources

Looks like they are threatening to

control the region. We must

do something about this!

American Expansionism

(a) Discriminatory Immigration Laws

1924, USA tried to prevent Asian immigration as part of their Protectionism actions

No entry to all Asian immigrants

Immigrants cannot become American

citizens

Asians could not marry Caucasians

In some states, Asians are

segregated from the Americans

Asians attending separate schools

(b) Washington Naval Conference, 1921-22

- Aim was to reduce the naval forces of USA, Britain, France, Italy & Japan.

- Japan was allowed less ships than the Americans or the British

- However, Japanese felt that it still was unfair and an insult to their nation.

Why did the Japanese feel insulted?

ii. Unfair Treatment

(a) Paris Peace Conference, 1919

Japanese representatives requested to the League of Nations for all races to be treated equally, but the League refused.

Why should we treat you equally?

(b) London Disarmament Conference, 1930

Prime Minister, Hamaguchi Osachi agreed to:

Further limit number of smaller battleships

Reduce spending on Army

Accused of BETRAYING

JAPAN

2. Resurgence of Chinese Nationalism

Japan gained from China’s weak & disunited government – Special rights to trade & controlled some Chinese territories. Eg.21 Demands

Disunited since 1894

Could not effectively rule its territories

After fall of Qing Dynasty, different

warlords ruled different parts of China

Before 1927,

What happened after 1927?

In 1927,

- 2 political parties tried to unify China

Chinese Communist Party

Kuomintang

- Initially, they fought among themselves, keeping China weak and disunited

- Decided to join forces in 1927 to unite China

- Japan’s control in China was now threatened. They wanted military action to occupy Manchuria & North China

Read page 138 of your textbook.

Which new colonies did Japan take over?

How did this lead to the Army & Navy becoming more popular?

Focus 2

What was the impact of militarism on the lives of Japanese?

(i)Providing Work(ii)Control of Workers(iii)Control of Opposition(iv) Control of Education

(i) Providing Work

- Provided employment for more people by expanding building programmes

- Young men served national service, increased employment

- Women had the opportunity to work - No. of women working rose from 1,370,000 to

2,260,000. - But they often lived in blocks of flats made for

working women. - Government could keep an eye on them both

at work and at home

(i) Providing Work

Impact?

Economically

– Increased employment and income made

Socially

– Women treated as more of equals

- Govt monitored its citizens

(ii) Control of Workers

- After WWI, rise in number of workers in trade unions

- Govt did not ban these trade unions

- Spread message of nationalism and need to self-sacrifice for the good of the nations through the workers’ unions.

Impact?

Socially – Provided the workers with an avenue to air their grievances and express their concerns.

- Propagated their beliefs through this avenue

(iii) Control of Opposition

- In 1925, government passed a Peace Preservation Law

- It allowed the government to arrest and imprison anyone they thought was a danger to the government

- Initially used as an emergency measure, but later used as a method to suppress political opposition

- Government also made sure that its critics lost their jobs (eg Prof Minobe)

(iii) Control of Opposition

Impact? –Politically- Government gained more control over its opposers and

critics.- Governments’ power greater

Socially - People of Japan cannot openly criticize the government

or make their views known publicly - They would be arrested or lose their jobs. - This instilled fear. (no freedom to express themselves)

(iv) Control of Education

- Government provided six years of free compulsory education

- The government insisted on changing the curriculum to include more time to teach traditional values and skills.

- They used the schools as a place to spread government values

- The curriculum also included exercise. Boys had to undergo military training exercises while at school.

- Universities and colleges also had to include military training into their curriculum

(iv) Control of Education

Impact?

Socially

- More of the population became educated as the government provided free education.

- This help in the development of its people.

Political

– Government could tighten control its people through the use of propaganda and specifically chosen information.