Fukoku Kyohei Imperialism

It took the Treaty of Kanagawa and unfair treatment by the US to weaken the shogunate and make way for the nationalist movements of the Meiji Restoration. The sweeping reforms put into place by the new constitutional monarchy put Japan back into the game - with rapid industrialization. military expansion, and advanced education. The landscape itself was useful for Japan's industrial age, as it consisted of mountains, valleys, and open plains, with bays, peninsulas, and small islands off the coast. (Doc. 6) The harbors formed along this coast made fishing the most viable trade, bringing in food for the country's citizens and forming a successful Japanese industry. Fishing also provided a segue into the market for naval development, meaning that in a short period of time, Japan had created one of the most sophisticated and powerful navies in all of the world. Because of the layout

The narrator of An Artist of the Floating World is none other than Masuji Ono. A once renowned Japanese artist with somewhat high prestige, he retires into a small town in Japan after the Second World War (the novel is during 1948-1949), where he lives in the previous home of a wealthy noble that he attained through an “eccentric procedure”. While preparing for his youngest daughter’s marriage arrangements (her second time for the first one fell through), he begins to acknowledge that some of his actions of his past may have affected his reputation rather negatively. He starts to reflect on his younger years in order to come to a better understanding on his past and the changes around him that concern him and the contemporary ways that differ

Japan is a small island nation off the coast of Eastern Asia. Despite its size, Japan has proved to be formidable both economically and militarily. Since the expedition of Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853 opened up the past feudalistic and reclusive Japan, this nation has expanded and adopted many imperialistic policies as well as taken a more aggressive military stance. Japan has changed in many ways, but has also continued upholding traditional practices throughout 1853 and 1941.

During this time period, both India and Japan faced a new situation: the new imperialism of Europe. India was unable to defend themselves, thus leading to them becoming a colony of Britain. Japan however, selectively borrowed from the Europeans after proving themselves to be equals of the once superior Europeans. Despite having such contrasting fates, both India and Japan had similarities in the miserable work conditions for peasants. But because India was a colony while Japan was a country, India data was recorded by British officials and Japanese data was record by Japanese officials. Another difference was the source of labor for textile production. India had mostly men workers whereas Japan

. . . The deeply indented coastline of Japan provides a number of excellent harbors on the Pacific coast, and its shores abound in fish of all kinds, the rich supplies of which have for centuries constituted one of the chief articles of food of the people. The fishing industries have helped to provide Japan with a recruiting ground for one of the strongest and most formidable navies of modern times” (Doc. 6). The geography and location of Japan has helped itself in many ways, such as it has good harbors with abounding amounts of fish. Prime Minister Yamagata Aritomo said “The protection of the nation’s line of sovereignty and the defense of our line of advantage are essential if we wish to maintain our independence and security. . . . [W]e must reach as far as possible within the limits of our resources to achieve control of that position. As a result, it is essential that we begin to make significantly larger appropriations for our navy and our armed forces” (Doc. 7). The prime minister wanted large appropriations to the military because so they would have defense against threats, protection of

Ultranationalism in Japan began once the global markets collapsed in 1930. Difficult times and a growing need for national glory led to increased militarism. In 1937, Japan invaded China and expanded its empire from the Korean peninsula to Indonesia. However, Japan’s

Japan at the turn of the century was clearly trying to westernize and change is isolated society into one more intellectually and scientifically involved with the rest of the world. When the Japanese open their ports to the western civilization food and merchandise were not the only things being traded. When ports were open the western way of living was integrated with the Japanese culture which gradually changed the way the

Japan, as known today, is a world powerhouse in technology and innovation. It currently ranks third in GDP, bringing in over $4.9 trillion dollars per year. However, this has not always been the case. Japan is well known for its period of “Sakoku,” a Japanese word literally meaning “closed country.” From 1600-1850s, that is indeed what Japan was; Japanese citizens were not allowed to leave the country and no foreigners were allowed to enter. The country was completely isolated from the rest of the world, even in regards to trade. This was changed in 1854 by Commander Matthew Perry and his Navy squadron. With the Kanagawa Treaty, Perry ended Japan’s period of isolationism and pushed them into their future as a world power.

Before an American naval commander “opened” Japan, the country was extremely isolated. Interaction with other nations was limited. Trade was discouraged in society due to Neo-Confucian

In the late 1890s, tensions between China and Japan were growing. China’s power was growing into the early 1900s as it converted to Nationalism. Japan felt the need to expand and conquer because they had been forced into the modern age by the United States, and they believed it was their destiny to exert government over other nations (Chang 23-24). The Japanese felt the need to do something before China became “too powerful to be conquered” (Chang 28-29). This put Japan on the path to war with China (Chang 25).

As well, the effects of European Imperialism on Africa and Asia was socially negative because the European treated the people unfairly. Before the Imperialism in Congo, Congo people had a lot of land. Once King Leopold II took over Congo in the late 1800’s, he took over their natural resources, including, jungles and the Congo river. King Leopold II imperialized Congo because of it manufacture goods, that includes rubber and iron. However, rubber was the most important product.

One of Japan’s major goals was total imperialism. The Japanese felt they were being treated as inferior in comparison to the United States and Europe and sought out to change just that. In a recount of comments made by Prime Minister and War Minister of Japan, Hideki Tojo, during a closed meeting of Japan’s top government and military leaders; he states “I fear that we would become a third-class nation after two or three years if we just sat tight.” They knew that

Showa: The Japan of Hirohito, edited by Carol Gluck and Stephen R. Graubard, seeks to find the answers to many questions that are commonly asked about Japan and its history. As stated in the title, this book focuses on the Hirohito era in Japanese history from 1926 to 1989. In the Introduction, Gluck states that there were two main issues for Japan in the twentieth century, “how Japan came to aggressive war and then to macroeconomic might” (xi). The unstable relationship between Japan and the United States is also an underlying theme of the book. The three chapters to be examined in this paper are, “The Useful War,” “The People Who Invented the Mechanical Nightingale,” and “Japan Meets the United States for the Second Time.”

British imperialism was additionally successful in its mission to cause political, psychological and moral damages to those around them. The behaviors practiced by that of the English colonizers whether it was brutality, oppression and discrimination was in many ways picked up by the locals. U Po Kyin, a native Burmese magistrate uses British social attitudes to discredit Dr. Veraswami, in hopes of gaining access to the European Club. He emulates colonial ideologies in order to gain positions of power and to elevate his influence and status in society.

control of pieces of land from Soviet Union and China. This ownership brought Japan a great advantage and main recourse centers, a human source.