Japanese Economic Influence In The 1930's

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

The retaliation of the Japanese had the world concerned by the oppression of military actions and to reveal power during the modern era (1900’s). The strategy of the Japanese

In Peter Duus’ Japanese Discovery of America, the author shows the learning experience that Japan went through in order to become one of the strongest countries in the early 20th century. From 1797 when the first American ship arrived in Japan, to 1879 when President Grant visited the Meiji emperor, Japan, not one of the strongest countries economically and militarily at the time, had interactions with multiple countries that included Russia, England and Portugal. However, Japan’s Confucianism belief and the development of the Tokaido Road served as roots for their quick rise to modernization. Even though multiple countries were cooperating with Japan, the relations with the United States proved to be the most

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.

Nationalism has socio-politically, internationally, and economically impacted Japan between 1750 and 1980 to controversial benefits and disadvantages. Nationalism can be defined as the shared patriotism to the nation amongst the people and that the interests and needs of the nation-state surpasses those of other countries. This can serve as a unifying force and, in this case, it had a major socio-political impact and contributed to the development of a new national identity through establishing national icons. The international impact stemmed from the wars raged by Japan against other nation-states to assert superiority and hold off potential invasions and conquests from strong Western powers. The Industrial Revolution, powered by the hard

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

They took Manchuria and turned it into one of their own states by the name of Manchukuo. After the invasion of Manchuria, in 1937, the Japanese continued their expansion. They took over more of China killing some 300,000 people. By the end of World War II, China would suffer over fourteen million losses. The League of Nations, an early form of the United Nations, highly rebuked these hostile actions.

The invasion of Manchuria was a pivotal point leading towards the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as well as the build- up of the tension between America and Japan. The minor engagement between the Chinese and Japanese troops conclusively led to undeclared war between the two nations. With China torn apart by revolution in the 1920s, Japan 's militarists viewed China, and in particular, its resource-rich northern

The resulting puppet state of Manchukuo was Japan’s quasi-colony. Great violence and pressure remained in border regions in the north of China until 1937. (Kingston)

The Japanese economy had changed immensely as it became a place of free trade and importations from being a place where there was little to no foreign interactions a century ago. The japanese had implemented this closed door policy due to the unruliness of the Europeans in the 17th century and felt complacent in their situation. Although the Japanese government implemented a closed-door policy from 1639 to 1854, their rapid economic development after this period was due to their similar geographical conditions to England. Their location allowed them to reap the benefits of being imperialized because they were able to westernize and set up the foundation of a good economy. They had been able to live peacefully while absorbing technology and culture from the Eurasian countries, this help them develop their ‘foreign acceptance’ as they were used to taking technology from other countries.

Japan’s aggressive government was controlled by the military, and acted belligerently towards other nations. In 1931, China was in control of Manchuria, but Japan ruled the railway that ran through. In September 1931, after the Manchurian railway was destructed, Japan placed direct blame on the Chinese. In retaliation, the Japanese invaded Manchuria and created an independent state. China looked to the League for aid, which sent a commission to investigate the situation. However, the commission did not reach Manchuria until April 1932 and did not even report until that October. This response was clearly way too slow, making it much harder for the League to further enforce its ruling. The commission reported that Japan was the aggressor, and the League later voted for Japanese troops to leave Manchuria. Japan walked out on the meeting and refused to leave Manchuria. The League could not agree on economic sanctions or any bans, proving its weakness and inability to handle problems. In 1933, Japan removed itself from the League of Nations and continued to expand and build its empire.

The Japanese came into countries such as Manchuria and Korea with vicious force, the way that they took

In the late 1800’s and the early 1900’s, Japan took great leaps forward. This period was called the Meiji Restoration, which was named after a prominent Japanese leader form the time. Much of their growth was due to their pursuit of empire and the greater goal of a more modern country. Throughout this period, Japan used their extensive resources to expand and become more like their western neighbors. During World War I, Japan was among the world powers that fought on the side of the United States and Great Britain. This was a time of pride for the country which, however, changed in the blink of an eye after the war was over. Although other countries were advanced at the time, Japan believed that they were among the most advanced countries

In 1945, Japan was devastated and lost a quarter of the national wealth after suffering a defect in the second world war. A majority of the commercial buildings and accommodation had been demolished, and massive machinery and equipment formerly used in production for the civil market were out of service to provide metal for military supplies (Miyazaki 1967). Despite the trash and ruins had left over in Japan, Japan was able to rebuilding its infrastructure and reconstruct their economy. It is revealed that the Japanese economy was on its way to recovery, which received a rapid development since the war, and the reconstruction of Japan had spent less than forty years to become the world’s second largest economy in the 1980s. This essay will explore the three factors account for the economic growth of post-war Japan: the financial assistance from the United States, the external environment, and the effective policy of Japanese government.

Globalisation has had a profound impact on the Japanese economy influencing levels of international trade, business operations, financial flows, government policy, labour markets and even environment. This movement has been driven primarily by numerous TNCs, trade liberalization, and the deregulation of the financial system, and numerous strategies adopted by the Government and Economy, resulting in the creation of a 'new' Japan.