Japan: The New ImperialismJapan: The New Imperialism

Introduction Introduction

Early 1600s Japan isolates itself for almost 200 years.

Commodore Matthew Perry US Navy. Demands: opening of trade; refueling

stations and safety for shipwrecked sailors 1854 Treaty of Kanagawa Japanese angry with shoguns

Japan’s Response: End of Japan’s Response: End of Tokugawa RuleTokugawa Rule The sudden intrusion of foreign

powers in Japan resulted in the collapse of the Tokugawa and the restoration of imperial rule

The dissident slogan was “Revere the emperor, expel the barbarians.”

On Jan 3, 1868, the boy emperor Mutsuhito took power– He later became known as

Meiji (“Enlightened Rule”)

The Meiji Period 1867 - 1912The Meiji Period 1867 - 1912

Intense modernization and Industrialization. 15 year old Emperor Mutsuhito Oppose Western Imperialism need new ways Borrows and adapts western ways (selective

borrowing) Study European Governments German gov’t/ US education system/British navy Hire western experts

Governmental ReformsGovernmental Reforms

Copy German ModelStrong centralized governmentDiet: parliament: 2 housesModel constitutionShoguns lose power

Economic ReformsEconomic Reforms

Banking systemBuild extensive rail systemImproved portsTelegraph and postal serviceGov’t supported businessesLarge family owned businesses: Zaibatsu

Social reformSocial reform

Set up schools and universities

Japanese Imperialism GrowsJapanese Imperialism Grows

Why? Need for raw materials and security Island location few raw materials Defeats China in the Sino Japanese War, gaining

its 1st colonies: Taiwan Japan wins the Russo Japanese War and gains

control of Korea 1st Asian nation to defeat a western nation Brutal treatment of Korea WWI Allied side`

Japan’s Response: Sino-Japanese Japan’s Response: Sino-Japanese WarWar From 1894-1895 Japan defeated China in a war

over Korea showed how modern and powerful Japan had

become and how weakened China had become The Japanese victory alarmed European powers,

especially Russia, who shared interests with Japan in Korea and Manchuria

The Rise of Japanese Imperialism: The Rise of Japanese Imperialism: Russo-Japanese WarRusso-Japanese War

When Russia refused to withdraw its troops from Manchuria after the Boxer Rebellion, Japan attacked and defeated the Russian Far Eastern Fleet anchored at Port Arthur

It was the first time in modern history an Asian military force had soundly whipped the army and navy of a major western imperial power

With the victory, Japan gained recognition as a major imperial power

President Theodore Roosevelt meets with Japanese and

Russian envoys to discuss peace at the end of the Russo-

Japanese War.