Japan at the Dawn ofthe 20th Century
Review – Revolution in China (22.2)
Sun Yat-Sen & the Revive China Society
Henry Pu Yi – China’s last emperor
Gen. Yuan Shigai – pres. of new Chineserepublic
Nationalist Party (Guomindang)
revolution & civil war lasted from 1911-1925
I. Japan & the West
Japan was isolated under the Tokugawa Shogunate
the U.S. was the 1st nation to establish a traderelationship w/ Japan – 19th c.
used military pressure to obtain the Treaty of Kanawaga
opened 2 ports to Western trade
established a U.S. consulate in Japan
the Europeans then followed the American lead re: trade
resistance!
Sat-Cho alliance (Satsuma & Choshu)
demanded a strong military response to the Western powers
attacked the shogun’s place at Kyoto (1868), bringing the shogunatesystem to an end
II. The Meiji Restoration
to resist Western pressures, Japan had to modernize
Matsuhito = the new emperor
new capital: Edo (Tokyo)
Meiji = “Enlightened Rule”
Political Changes
prefectures – controlled by the daimyo (75 total)
studied Western political systems
Ito Hirobumi
developed a constitution modeled after Imperial Germany
emperor, prime minister & cabinet ministers
2 house legislature
traditional ruling class maintained power & influence
Economic Changes
distributed lands to the peasants, but also created anew land tax
industrial development
little foreign investment
key industries: silk, tea, weapons, shipbuilding, sake
a joint venture between private business & theJapanese govt.
Social Changes
compulsory (required) military service
used American model of elementary & secondaryschools, as well as universities
expanded opportunities for women
influence of Western culture & styles
increase in labor exploitation
III. Japan – A Rising Imperialist Power
if Japan were to compete on the world stage, it needed tobecome a colonial power
4 justifications for imperialism?
see map, p. 702
expansion into Korea, Taiwan & part of China
Russo-Japanese War (1904-05)
surprise Japanese attack on Russian base at Port Arthur
the Japanese navy defeated the Russian navy off the coast of Japan
MAJOR embarrassment for Russia
U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt negotiated the treaty toend the war – and won the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize
1907 – “Gentleman’s Agreement” w/ Japan temporarily endedJapanese immigration to the U.S.