K Ang Hsi: The Sacred Tasks: Summary

When the Japanese modernized they made sure to keep their traditional values. According to document 1, in the timeline, after the Meiji Constitution was adopted, The Sino-Japanese War Began( in which Japan fought the Qing Dynasty over Taiwan and Korea(Doc 1, N.d, line 7). Japan won these territories and benefited from their resources. It wasn’t until 1904 Japan declared another war on Russia to protect and keep Korea for its resources( Alfred Stead, 1904, Doc 9). This was the first time any other country defeated a European imperialist country.

Sakoku was the policy introduced to Japan in medieval times. Sakoku translates to ‘a country in chains’ or ‘the lock up of a country’. This policy proclaimed that no foreigner or Japanese could enter or leave the country, without the threat of death. The Tokugawa Shogunate, under Tokugawa Iemitsu, created this policy as well as an array of other edicts and policies to prevent foreigners and Japanese alike from entering or leaving Japan. These were established and put into action in 1633-1639 and remained in effect until 1853 when Matthew Perry and the Americans forced the Japanese rulers to remove these laws. However, these laws did not entirely isolate Japan, as some trade was allowed just under tight control.

As individual European countries scrambled to gain more territory to add to their Empires, Japan feared the changes that visiting countries brought. When other countries visited Japan with imports to trade they also brought with them a new religion, Christianity. Japanese Emperors feared the chaos that a new religion would bring and decided to shut the rest of the world out. Only the Dutch were allowed to trade with the Japanese as a need remained to be informed of the rest of the world and medical advances.

Much like in Japan when Matthew Perry of the United States came in and insisted in having Japan open up its ports to diplomatic and commercial relations with the US, and since the shogun felt he had no other option, he complied with Perry’s order. As the westerners had their way with both east Asian nations, the threat of western industrialization became a reality, and due to the amount of hunger and economic depression in their societies, their people began to crave industrialization seeing the amount of success in the western societies that were industrialized. There began to be an increased amount of rebellion, and a fight for change in these two nations, but the results that came from these rebellions and the main argument for these rebellions differed.

This research essay will examine how the Isolation policy, introduced by the Tokugawa shogunate, was a turning point in Japanese history. The first section of the essay will discuss the rationale for the policy’s introduction. This will be followed by an analysis of the short and long term effects this policy had on Japanese Society.

The Japanese empire was in great power by this time period, and they thought themselves as the king of the East Asian race. Japan, the “old order”, also believed that some day Europe and America would take over their power and become the “new orders”(Doc A). Japan was one

This foreign policy, commonly known as sakoku or “closed country”, is often seen as a period of isolation for Japan that resulted in a reduction of foreign trade and diplomatic relations. However, even beyond the Dutch at Nagasaki, Japan actually sought to establish trade and diplomatic relations with its East Asian neighbours such as Korea and Ryukyu. Therefore, in this essay, I will take the foreign policy of Japan during the 17th Century as being a period of controlled contact rather than isolation. I will also avoid using the term sakoku as it implies isolationism, and use the general term foreign policy

That is, according to Lu’s “Tokugawa Peace,” between “1633 and 1639, the Tokugawa bakufu issued a series of edicts which effectively closed the country from the outside world- with the exception of the Dutch and the Chinese until 1853.” Here, “effectively closed the country” refers to how Japan did not trade with or travel to any country, although the “Dutch and Chinese” were allowed to be exceptions to the rule. Lo contends that one of the primary reasons behind the Tokugawa’s momentous decision was “the desire to monopolize all the benefits from foreign trade in the hands of the bakufu...played a part. Nagasaki was directly governed by the bakufu, and a strict monopolistic control was exerted there.” What this suggests is that the bakufu was acting for its own benefit and as its own entity.

The visit opened up a new conflict for Japan, perhaps causing a civil war. The core of Japanese values, their rulers, was built upon a philosophy of dependence to Confucian rules. Bowing to foreign pressure, viewed as barbarians corrupting Japanese beliefs, would mean abandoning the

China and Japan are two unique civilizations that went through similar, yet vastly different changes throughout their histories. Their growth and response to other nations differed in many ways in government, lifestyle, and general well-being. One of the main causes for such difference between the countries is the way the West influenced each region, and the way China and Japan responded to this influence. China focused more on the idea of being a "status oriented" society, while Japan was more "goal oriented" based. In China, anyone had the ability to better themselves and change their status through civil examinations given by the government. Western impact however slowly changed this old age system. Japan's caste system viewed

The growing tension between Japan and the west stemmed from a conflict of autonomy and responsibility. Japan saw its actions as part of a national quest for autonomy, self-sufficiency, and European rivalry. The United States and Europe, however, saw Japanese expansion as irresponsible. From their perspective Japanese imperialism violated treaties, which set down the acceptable code of conduct of nations. The United States in particular saw Japanese occupation of East Asian countries as a violation of those countries’ own rights to autonomous leadership and self rule.

            Throughout history most of Asia has been viewed as strange and exotic by western cultures.  This is especially true for Japan, because, unlike other Asian nations Japan was isolated from western culture until around the year 1542 when the Portuguese landed at Tanegashima (Bryant 14).  There are several reasons for Japan’s solitude, most of them geographical.  One of the primary reasons is what the Japanese call kamikaze, or divine wind (Bryant 24).  These strong stormy winds blew across the waters surrounding Japan, making it quite difficult to approach the island.  Japan is also quite far away from most western nations, especially since the ships had to sail around Africa to get to it.  When the

Meiji Restoration was a significant historical event not only in Japanese history but also in world history. A study (Hunt, Lynn, Thomas, & Barbara, 2009) concluded that the word “Meiji” means “enlightened rule” and the goal was to combine “modern advances” with “eastern” values. This event restored practical imperial rule to Japan under Emperor Meiji in 1868 (“Meiji Restoration”, 2017). As a result, it led to the tremendous changes in political and social structure of Japan, and spanned both the Late Tokugawa period and the beginning of the Meiji period (“Meiji Restoration”, 2017). The main causes of Meiji Restoration can be analyzed from the following different aspects.

Sakoku, or the national seclusion, of Japan by the Tokugawa Iemitsu in the 1630s was one of the most important periods in Japanese history. Many people perceived that Japan became uniquely unique because of the Sakoku. However, during the Sakoku, Japan was not complete sealed off from foreign influences and trades. The national seclusion of Japan is believed by some people that there is only limited trade with the Dutch and Chinese in Nagasaki. According to Oxford Art Online during the Edo period, the Bay of Nagasaki is “the only port open to overseas trade” (Bonnie), which was not true. During the Sakoku, Japan was not restricted to only the bay in Nagasaki, but Japan had total of four designated places that allowed foreign contacts. Before the detail of the four areas of foreign relations during the Sakoku period, the reasons for the Sakoku need to be explained.

During the Meiji period, leaving Japan and traveling to the United States was considered a crime due to the strong impact of Japan’s isolation.