1940 Japanese Economy

American imperialism in the 1800s was the primary cause of the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor Hawaii. When Millard Fillmore sent Commodore Matthew Perry to open ports of trade in Japan the clock began ticking as to when Japan and America would go to war against each other. Perry’s show of modern military armaments sent the nation that was controlled by a feudal warlord the Shogun into a state of chaos, and the eventual forced removal of the Shogunate. The subsequent infusion of militarism and modernism in Japan culture led to a need for raw material. America was a premier producer of oil and trade between the two nations was established. Germany and Great Britain supplied Japan with military training and equipment. Japan traded for scrap metals of all types, which they smelted into high-grade steel as they began to create their own modern military. However, America could not supply Japan with all of their needs and wants, therefore Japan embarked on their version of imperialism.

Japan also played a big role in the outbreak of World War II. Japan suffered significantly in the Great Depression, especially when China and the United States both placed trade barriers on Japanese imports. During the 1930s, the military established almost complete control over the government. Many political enemies were assassinated, and communists persecuted. Indoctrination and censorship in education and media were further intensified. Navy and army officers soon occupied most of the important offices, including the one of the prime minister. The military-dominated government was determined to create an empire in Asia. In 1931 Japan followed the example of Western nations and forced China into unequal economical

Although Japan changed in many ways from 1853 to 1941, there were also many factors that remained the same throughout the history of Japan. One such continuity was the maintained existence of a figurehead ruler controlled by other political authorities. The feudalistic emperor of Japan was the supposed “highest, most powerful authority” in the land, but was actually controlled by the military leaders- the shogun. Similarly, the militaristic emperor of Japan decades later continued to remain a figurehead ruler controlled by military and government officials. In addition, Japan continued to remain reliant on exports in order to maintain its economy. As a result of Japan’s small geographical size, the island nation had few natural resources and was forced to rely on exports to survive economically. The nation also grew increasingly reliant on other nations to provide materials and supplies that it could not provide for itself. This complete reliance on other nations was seen illustrated when the Japanese military was provoked to attacking another superpower- the United States, in response to the 1940 United States embargo

While the Depression initially hit Japan hard by showing that half of all factories were closed by 1931, children in some areas were reduced to begging for food from passengers on passing trains, and farmers were eating tree bark therefore active government policies quickly responded. Under the 1930s minister of finance, Korekiyo Takahashi, the government increased its spending to provide jobs, which in turn generated new demands for food and manufactured items, yielding not only the export boom but also the virtual elimination of unemployment by 1936. Indeed, Japan made a full turn toward industrialization after 1931, its economy growing much more rapidly than that of the West and rivaling the surge of the Soviet Union. Production of iron, steel, and chemicals soared. The spread of electric power was the most rapid in the world. The number of workers, mainly men, in the leading industries rose sevenfold during the 1930s. Quality of production increased as assembly-line methods were introduced, and Japanese manufacturing goods began to rival those of the West. Japan also initiated a series of new industrial policies designed to stabilize the labor force and prevent social unrest. Big companies began to offer lifetime contracts to a minority of skilled workers and to develop company entertainments and other activities designed to promote hard work and devotion. By 1937, Japan boasted the

Two of the most apparent external influences for Japan to enter into World War Two would have to the opening of japan to trade from Commodore Perry, and economic and trade sanctions imposed by the United States thereafter. On July 8, 1853, Commodore Perry arrived in Tokyo bay with regards to re-establish commerce with Japan that had been non-existent in 200 years. In reading “Breaking Open Japan” Feifer said “Japan had long been open to new ideas from abroad” (Fiefer 17). The United States were particularly interested in commercial trade with Japan. First and foremost was the opening of Pacific ports in American control, the annexation of California, and the opening of trade with Chinese ports. In creating an American port in California it created a stream of pacific shipping as well as the need to secure coaling stations on the Pacific trade route. Japan also contained large amounts of coal deposits thus increasing the interest from the United States since coal was the natural resource of the 19th century. Secondly the United States economic sanctions after the period of opening proved to be the nail in the coffin for U.S/Japanese relations.

Japan’s growing nationalism and imperialism scooped the nation up to its feet, In 1931 “Japan launched its first plan by invading Manchuria, Manchuria was the first step in Japan’s imperial expansion” (Work Cited 2). On 1937 Japan launched a full scale war on China. The U.S started transporting resources to China and cutting off export of raw materials and oil to Japan, moves clearly intended to oppose Japan’s expansion. The embargo was seen as a serious threat to Japan’s goals of imperial expansion and to overcome this obstacle Japan began to conquer Asian Pacific territories that were rich in raw materials and oil. “Almost 70 percent of the country’s supply of zinc and tin, 90 percent of its lead, and all of its cotton, wool, aluminum, and rubber had to be imported from other countries” (John F.

Over the years, Japan has been working on advancing their economy since post-World War II. They now have a very strong work ethic, high resolution technology and a very comparatively small defense allocation, one percent of the gross domestic product. Two key characteristics are the interlocking structures of manufactures, suppliers, and distributors, and guarantee of employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force (CIA,2017). With natural resources of Japan becoming inadequate, they reliant on imported raw materials and resources especially since the complete shutdown of nuclear reactors

Japan would soon invade Manchuria on September 18, 1931 and establish Manchukuo. This marked the beginning of the road towards Pearl Harbor and furthered strained the relationship between the United States and Japan. The United States began to place restraints on Japan due to it’s actions in China. This negatively impacted Japan and Konoe implemented a new policy statement and also negotiated the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy just in case they get attacked by the United States because Japan was interested in the oil-rich Dutch and despite the fact that the United States and Great Britain would resist. Japan were no longer allies of Great Britain and China

At the end of the war the Americans had devastated Japanese land with nuclear weapons and the country was destroyed. After WWII the United States took control over Japan and rewrote their constitution. Japan was forced to accept these new terms and adjustments. The new constitution set limits on spending and it shifted the focus from military powers to economic accomplishment. (J., D. B.

According to Pearl Harbor and the Coming of the Pacific War, the Japanese completed its control in Manchuria in 1932, then invaded China five years later. In the map created by various sources, the Japanese empire more than tripled its size after expansion through Manchuria in China. Japan established Manchuria as a puppet state, and held it as a reservoir for food resources, or a paddy field. To support a larger empire, its growing military, and an increase in naval power, the Japanese needed more and more oil. Unfortunately, Japan only owned a few oil reserves and produced very little of its own oil. They bought most of their oil from the United States. In fact, according to Suzuki Akira, “US Economic Sanctions Against Japan and its Aid to China during the Sino-Japanese War”, 80 percent of Japan’s 12,170,000 tons of oil was imported from the United States from 1937-1939. However, after tensions mounted between the United States and Japan, the amount of oil exported from US to Japan decreased dramatically, from 2,910,000 tons in 1940 to 880,000 tons in 1941, a 330 percent decrease in oil imports from the US. Tensions continued rising when Japan announced that they will establish “new order”, or the Japanese Empire in East Asia. The US showed their disprovement by declaring an “embargo of aircraft and aircraft parts” (Iriye 1999) in 1939, and a complete oil embargo in 1941, a resource the Japanese depended on the most. Fortunately for the Japanese, there were an abundant amount of oil fields south of Japan, in the Philippines, East Indies, and New Guinea, however, were all occupied by the European nations and the United States. The Japanese declared that the “ … old order … (European and American) … is now crumbling” (Japanese Ministry of Education 1941). In order to conquer the Indonesian islands and the East Indies successfully, they intended to destroy the American fleets stationed at the

Previous months before December 7th, 1941 America and Japan had been going head and head with each other. The United States wanted Japan to stop building up their army but all Japan’s goal was to becoming the ruler of Asia. When they didn’t listen to America’s warning President Roosevelt stopped all export of American machinery to Japan. When Japan still continued President Roosevelt then stopped all sales

In the past few decades, Japan has experienced a rapid growth with various problems associated with urbanization. Japan has also been facing declining birthrate, aging population, poverty, and overcoming deflation. Urbanization has enabled economic growth but it has contributed to climate change, pollution, congestion, and the growth of slums. Also Social and Economic development cannot be achieved without addressing global warming and other environmental issues. Due to these problems, Japan has passed several laws to implement urbanization policies and city growth management programs that primarily target regional balance in growth and concentration. On top of this Japan has worked its way to reform its economic and social issues.

During World War II, Japan was running low on natural resources. (“World War II in the Pacific”)

During the industrialization of Japan, Japan’s leaders lacked the resources they needed, such as oil, iron ore, and coal. Since there were other neighboring states that were rich in the mineral deposits Japan lacked, Japan’s government organized a plan to invade the weaker neighbors. After a while, Japan began gaining control of many states/nations. In 1931, military leaders invaded Manchuria and in 1937, the military services invaded eastern China. Japanese expansion was very strong and resulted in angry neighboring states, which eventually led to a World War

Prior to World War Two Japan had been going through an economic crisis and was having issues with its government. The Japanese society was very militaristic and prideful this, and their cultures deep seeded loyalty to its country, made it a key power in world affairs. The country was a member of the League of Nations and wanted to make its mark on the world by any means mainly through expanding its borders. The nation already had some footholds in other areas and was prepared to advance further due to a lack of resources.