Japan 1850-1914

Key Dates

Japan 1850-1914

Edo Period – 1603 to 1868

Meiji Period – 1868 to 1912

Taisho Period – 1912 to 1926

Military Change

International Trade

Russo-Japanese War

Change

Power

This new government also wanted to improve their military power, taking thorough inspiration from western colonies; they instated a Conscription (compulsory labour; military enrolment), a new army modelled after the Prussians and a Navy after the British (this explains a lot).

The Battle of Tabaruzaka in 1877 was the first use of this new military system. It was the last samurai rebellion in Japan put together by Saigo Takamori, his forces ranging to around 15,000 whilst the Japanese imperial army had upwards of 90,000 soldiers. The battle was a win for the imperial army, though both sides had lost around 4,000 soldiers each. This battle marked the end of the samurai era and displayed the benefits of the new modern age.

American naval office Mathew C. Perry in 1853, was able to force limited open port trade with the Japanese Tokugawa government, the first success a western country had had. This was kept extremely limited until the Meiji restoration in 1868.

These government investments did help Japan grow though they led to an economic fall in the middle of the 1880s. This led to the creation of the Bank of Japan and the reorganisation of the financial system.

In 1889 the Meiji Constitution was instated, giving the emperor sovereignty of the country, though the ruling clique held the actual power. However, the emperor was still competent and put input into most of their actions and decisions.

In 1868 the capital of Japan was moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. Government power was then transferred to a few nobles and former samurai.

In this new government, Japan went through extensive changes, gaining independence from western countries and closing the economic gap between Japan became a democracy with equality between all its people. But with this social reform, the samurai lost their privileges

With the unresolved conflict with Russia, Japan declared war beginning in 1904 and lasting until 1905. This war was one that Russia was determined they could win but they met with quite the humiliating defeat. Czar Nicholas II decided that the remaining conflict would be talked out, due to the Bloody Sunday disaster within Russia.

The Treaty of Portsmouth was mediated by Theodore Roosevelt, finalising Japan’s victory and obtaining international recognition for them as a great power, the first Asian nation to defeat a western country.

1914

1870

1880

1860

1900

1910

1890

1850

End of an Era

Sino-Japanese War

Industry

New Regions

Unrest

1912 marked the end of the Meiji era with the death of the emperor.

Growing unrest with the anti-government groups and the people themselves began to disrupt the government and their wish for the imperial power to be restored and their beliefs of anti-western everything.

As time went on, the people realised the benefits of western technology in science and military affairs furthering, the desire to open Japan to the world.

In 1867-68 the Tokugawa government fell due to political pressure, leading to the Meiji Restoration.

The Sino-Japanese war began in 1894 between Japan and China due to a conflict of interest in Korea with its trade and independence. The war ended in 1895 with Japan’s victory and the recognition of Korea’s independence. Though Japan had won, they still had to release possession of Port Arthur (Liaodong Peninsula) due to influence from Russia, whom then their persuasion of France and Germany to follow suit; this was called the Triple Intervention, and Japan lost most benefits from this war.

To improve industry and agriculture in Japan, Japan became an industrial-focused country. Japanese scholars went overseas to learn from western nations, leading to improvement in transportation and communication networks throughout Japan with the help of large government investments.

To stabilise this new government, all the former feudal lords had to return all of their lands to the emperor, completed in 1870. Japan then reconstructed their country into prefectures.

Education was transformed to the French system, later to the German system. Education was soon made compulsory.

1872 – First railway between Tokyo and Yokohama

1873 – religious freedom was established as a human right.