japan - asian civ

8/3/2019 Japan - Asian Civ

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CHAPTER IV

JAPAN, Land of the Rising Sun

LAND

y Archipelago or island chain composed of 4,233 islands in East Asia.y Main islands- Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Hokkaidoy Area of 145,822 sq. milesy It is bounded on the west by the Sea of Japan, Korea, Russian Pacific

territories

o North Sakhalin Islando East & South- Pacific Oceano Southeast East China Sea

y Climate is temperatey It is dotted with mountains

o Mt. Fuji most known mountain Separates by arable valleys

y One sixth of the land can be cultivatedy Earthquakes, tidal waves (tsunami) and storms regularly strikes the

archipelago

o 60 active volcanoeso 2,000 tremors shakes the islands each year

y Tokyo- capital cityy Major cities- Osaka, Yokohama, Kobe and Nagasaki

PEOPLE

Ainus- aborigines who originally inhabited the islands 2 oldest and most basic characteristics of Japanese society

o Shinto religiono Deep reverence and respect for the emperor

Shintoism

Ancient religion means the way of the Gods Animistic religion teaching that spirits inhabit even in objects as

waterfalls, trees, sand and stones.

It is polytheistico Kami number of Gods ( means superior)


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The chief Shinto virtue is ceremonial cleanliness rather than ethicalgood

Reverence andrespect for theemperor

Stronger than Shinto as a foundation for Japanese life. Japanese emperors claimed divine descent from Ameterasu (sun

goddess)

One dynasty in entire history

PRESENT POLITICAL SYSTEM

Constitutional monarchy with parliamentary system of government It had elected a Parliament (Diet) and allowed competitive political

parties since Meiji restoration in 1899 1947 Constitution promulgated under the direction of GeneralDouglas McArthur during the US Occupation in 1945-1952

o The Emperors power became just symbolic and ceremonial Japanese Emperor head of state (symbol of the State and of unity

of the people)

o have no powers related to government Prime Minister they vest their executive power (acts as head of

government)

Cabinet all members of the DietEARLY HISTORY

y February 660 BC Jimmu (the first emperor) was crownedy 405 Chinese writing was first introduced into Japan from Koreay 550 a Buddhist monk introduced Buddhism

o The adoption of Chinese writing and Buddhism also led toadoption of Chinese ideas such as ancestors worship and filial

piety. Also artistic designs, engineering, medicine, furniture,weights and measures

y 607 - they sent their first envoys to Chinay 640 Japanese students returning from China worked to promote

further the adoption of Chinese culture in their country

o Powerful clans dominated early Japanese society. The heads ofthese clans formed an aristocracy


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y 645 an edict called the Great Reform removed the clan systemso It decreed that the emperor had absolute power and that he

owned all lands in Japan

y 702 Emperor proclaimed the Great Treasure (code of laws)whichregulated all aspects of Japanese life: land holding, defense, taxes,religion, marriage & funerals.

o The law stressed the allegiance of all the people to the emperorand insisted that no sacrifice was too great for them to make for

the emperor.

o The emperors built 2 capital cities; (1st at Nara then later inKyoto in 794)

FEUDAL JAPAN

The Japanese tried but failed to establish a civil service system similarto China.

y 800s the Japanese developed feudal system that resembled thatof Europe in some ways

o It has 2 power structures: One was indirect form of central government under

which a powerful clan exercised power in the name of the

emperor.

Second outside of the control of the central government,consisted of military groups who exercised authority over

territories they occupied.

y Fujiwara clan 1st to dominate the emperorso By holding powerful positions in the government and by

intermarriages with the emperors family, they dominated the

central government from the early 800 to the mid 1100s.

y 1185 After the struggle with the Taira family, the Minamoto clanfinally won control and held the central government until 1338.

y 1192 Yoritomo, a Minamoto warlord was given the title Shogun(Barbarian Subduing General) by the emperor.

o The Shogun was not only the Chief Commander of the militaryforces on the central government but he also controlled the law,

courts, and finances. He exercised these powers at the military

headquarters at Kamakura.


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LOCAL MILITARY UNITS

y Daimio (great names)- military groups were led by warrior/landlordso Their authority rested in part of his control of the land, in part,

on his aristocratic ancestry and in part, on his skill with sword.

y Samurai - fighting force maintain by Daimioy Bushido (way ofwarrior)- code of conduct of Samurai resembled

the knights of medieval Europe that stressed honor, courage, loyalty

and politeness.

y To Samurai, to fight and die for his lord was the highest obligation.y Seppuku (hara-kiri orbelly slitting)- ceremonial suicide

o If the Samurai failed or disobeyed his lord, he had theopportunity to redeem himself by committing this.

INDEPENDENCE FROM CHINA

y 1200s Japan began a period of independence from China.o the Chinese were busy thwarting off the Mongol invasiono Later the Yuan (Mongol) government in China was unable to

conquer Japan, although they attempted several times to occupy

the islands.

y 1281 - Chinese-Mongol fleet of3,500 ships carrying 100,000 troopsinvaded Japan but was dispersed by a powerful typhoon. They calledthe storm Kamikaze (divine wind).

ASHIKAGA SHOGUNATE (1338-1575)

y 1338 - Ashikaga family took over the Shogunate from the Minamotoo Feudalism was weakend by series of wars among the Daimio.o Banditry was commono Japanese made its first contact with Europeans

y Early as 1453 Portuguese discovered Japano Portuguese merchants brought silk textiles and traded them for

Japanese silver and copper.

o Christian missionaries followed the Portuguese tradersy 1638 With the aid ofDutch naval forces, the Japanese destroyed

the last Portuguese stronghold.


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o Iyeyasulevied taxes against them to provide relief afterearthquake and other natural calamities and to built forts &

shrines.

o He banned Christianity and persecuted missionaries coming fromthe Philippines

y Seclusion Decree 1639 issued by Iyemitsu (Iyeyasus grandson)closing the Japanese archipelago to the world.

OPENING OF JAPAN

y 1853 A naval squadron under Commodore MatthewPerryentered Tokyo Bay and compelled the Tokugawa Shogun to open

Japanese ports to American trade, as well as safety of American

sailors.y The Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854 opened 2 Japanese ports to the

Americans.

o It also provided better treatment to shipwrecked sailors.o Within 2 years, Japan signed similar treaties with Great Britain,

France, Russia and Holland.

MODERNIZATION OF JAPAN (MEIJI RESTORATION)

y 1860s A civil war broke out between pro-emperor forces and theshogun.

y 1867 A group of progressive Daimio from southwest Japanoverthrew the last Shogun and gave complete authority to the

emperor.

y January 1868 EmperorMutshihito proclaimed the restoration ofabsolute monarchy and took the name Meiji ( enlightened peace)

y 1912 it lasted and often called MeijiRestoration.

MEIJI RESTORATION

y They took the road toward westernization & industrialization.y 35 years - Japan almost duplicated the industrial development that

had taken 150 years in the west.


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y They established a system of universal compulsory education thatsoon removed illiteracy almost completely.

y Compulsory military was also introduced.

THE NEW GOVERNMENT

y 1889 Emperor Meiji proclaimed the constitution drafted byHirobumi Ito.

y 1889 Constitution provided for a bicameral legislature but theemperors orders were superior to any of its acts.

o The Emperor remained the sacred descendant of the gods.o He also absolute veto power over all laws passed by the law-

making body.

o He was the Supreme Commander of the Japanese armedforces and could have declared war & make peace.

y 1889 Constitution gave Japan an absolute monarchy with aconstitution.

o It gave a legislature that could not initiate lawmaking, declarewar or make treaties.

o It made Japanese military the most powerful sectoro The Supreme War Council & the Supreme Navy Council advised

the emperor as to who should serve as Minister ofWar &

Minister of the Navy.

WAR WITH RUSSIA

y Russian troops remain in Manchuriay 1904 Without declaration of war, the Japanese navy, under

AdmiralTogo attacked the Russian navel fleet at Port Arthur and

sank a number of ships

y The Treaty of Portsmouth ended the Russo-Japanese War, withbetter terms and conditions for the Japanese victors.


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JAPANESE MILITARISM

y Late 800s - started the program for modernizationo They need readily available sources of raw material, & at the

same time, room for its fast growing population

y 1920s - Japans economic problems worseny 1924 the problem of population overgrowth was even aggravated

when the US closed its doors completely to Japanese immigrants.

y 1929 the Great depression began further compounded her problemsy September 1931 - without warning, Japan occupied Manchuria and

created a puppet state of Manchukuo

y 1937 Japanese troops marching through the Marco Polo Bridgenear Peiping were fired upon by the Chinese,

y 1939 The Japanese occupied about a fourth of China, including allits seaports & many cities in the interior.

y Undeclared Sino-Japanese War they spread throughout Chinawhen World War II broke out.

WORLD WAR II

y Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere- propagated the sloganAsia forAsian& considered eastern Asia and the Pacific.

y 1939 - Japan seized the island of Hainan off the coast of Indo-China,cutting off the British sea route from Hongkong to Singapore.o They placed French Indo-China and Indonesia (Netherlands east

Indies) under their protective custody

o Japan as a member of theAxis Alliance with Germany and Italyagainst Allied Powers had set her plan into action in the Asia-

Pacific Front.

y December 7, 1941- while Nomura, the Japanese peacerepresentatives was still in Washington DC, Japanese war planes &

submarines launched a sneak attack on the American naval base atPearl Harbor, Hawaii, sinking several battleships and destroying many

aircraft on the ground.

o American dead totaled 2,300,o Japanese invaded Philippines, Guam,Wake Island, and in less

than 3 months they occupied Burma,Malaya, Singapore &

Indonesia.


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DEFEAT OF JAPAN

May 1942 Japanese advance in the Pacific was defeated for the firsttime by the combined air and naval forces of Australians and

Americans at the Battle of Coral Sea

June 3-6, 1942- Japanese were again defeated in the battle ofmidway in the Pacific

August 1942 Americans Marines landed at Guadalcanal of theSolomon group of islands

1944 Americans cleared the Japanese from almost all of the islands October1944

o General Douglas McArthur landed at Leyte after defeating theJapanese in the great air and sea Battle of Leyte Gulf

Early 1945 the Japanese government refused to surrender despitethe intense bombing of Japanese industrial cities that began

August 6, 1945- a lone American bomber dropped on the city ofHiroshima.

o 80,000 Japanese were killed August9- a 2nd and more powerful atom bomb was dropped on the

city ofNagasaki.

o On the following day, Japan sued for peace.o The official surrender documents were signed and accepted by

General Douglas McArthur (Supreme AlliedCommanderof

the Pacificaboard the US battleship Missouriin Tokyo Bay)

ALLIED OCCUPATION OF JAPAN

y General McArthur (American Caesar ofJapan) leading theAmerican troops that occupied the country after World War II.

o His first aim was to demilitarize Japan.y 1947 - He proceeded to create a democratic government & adopted a

new constitution.y McArthur constitution provided for a parliament or Diet to be

elected by popular vote.

o War was prohibited & armed forces were limited for civil defenseand policies purposes.

y 1951 Japan signed the World War II Peace Treaty.


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o It formally renounced its claimed to Korea, Taiwan, thePescadore, the Kuriles, southern Sakhalin and Ryukyu islands.

POST-WAR JAPAN

y Japan produced products of high quality,y 1960 Japanese economy vigorously expandedy 1966 Japans Gross National Product was already $100 billion with

per capita income of $790 dollars

y 1969 Japan GNP reached $174 billion with per capita income of $1,335, making her third most important industrial nation in the world

y 1970- they entered Asias leading industrial statey 1980-1981- Japans GNP had reached a staggering $1,091 billion.y Late 1960- early 1970 the balance of trade swung heavily in favor

of Japan

y 2 important changes had occurred: (a result of its postwarrelative prosperity)

o Japanese women received greater legal, political, economic, andsocial freedom.

o The authority of the family, which traditionally was the center ofall Japanese life, declined. Japanese youths exercised as much

freedom like those of their western counterparts.

japan - asian civ

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