6)Japan+Modernizes

An 1854 agreement between the United States and Japan, which opened two Japanese ports to U.S. ships and allowed the United States to set up an embassy in Japan.
 * Treaty of Kanagawa-**

**Meiji Era-** The period of Japanesse history from 1867 to 1912, during which the country was ruled by Emperor Mutsuhito.

**Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905-** War between Russia and Japan over imperial possessions. Japan emerges victorious.

**Annexation-** The adding of a region to the territory of and existing political unit. CHINA, JAPAN, & THE WESTERN POWERS
 * While China resisted colonial rule and became weaker, Japan transformed itself into a major industrial and military power. This was because of the high foreign involvement in China and its distance from Japan.
 * For many centuries, Japan had been ruled by an Emperor who had virtually no power and a military ruler called a Shogunate. Daimyos were provincial rulers who had military command.
 * The major weakness of this governing system was that it couldn't coordinate resources necessary to resist invasion. In order to hide this weakness, in the 1600s, foreigners were not permitted to enter Japan while citizens were unable to leave Japan. Violators of this law were common in Southern Japan, away from shogunate rule. There they ran large scale pirate and black-market operations that benefited from decentralization.
 * Realizing the possible consequences of foreign invasion, local lords created their own armies, arsenals, and shipyards which led to a strong sense of local self-reliance.
 * In 1853, Matthew C. Perry arrived on Japanese coast-line demanding free-trade and open ports to American boats needing to refuel on their journey to and from China. He returned a year later when the Treaty of Kanagawa was established, creating much anger in local governors. In response these leaders called for underground movements to destroy the shogunate and ban all foreigners. Their fear with foreign contact were still that they did not have enough strength to resist invasion. In 1867 local lords realized that in order to defeat the shogunate they would have to stop their regional fighting and unite together under a common force.

THE MEIJI RESTORATION AND THE MODERNIZATION OF JAPAN
 * In 1868 there was a brief but intense civil war in Japan which resulted in the shogunate being overthrown and Mutsuhito named the new emperor.
 * The new Meiji rulers were talented and far-sighted which ensured for much change to come.
 * The Charte Oath, given by Emperor Mutsuhito in 1868 quickly became Japan's motto as he spoke the words, "Knowledge shall be sought throughout the world and thus shall be strengthened the foundation of the imperial polity." In response to his statements, educational systems were recreated, a conscript army was introduced, new communications were implemented, and industrialization was pushed heavily. For all these reforms to occur, Japan used judicious deficit financing without foreign debt.
 * Japan copied the government structure of imperial Germany, the navy of Great Britain, and the army of Prussia. More reforms came when they westernized their postal and telegraph services, harbors, banks, clocks, and calenders.
 * To gain information from foreign countries, Japan sent 100s of students to Britain, Germany, and the U.S.
 * Japan opened vocational, technical, agricultural schools, and 4 imperial universities.
 * To encourage industrialization, state-owned enterprises manufactured cloth and other inexpensive consumer goods for sale abroad. This was similar to European and American industrial revolutions, where workers were exploited and forced to overcome rising taxes and rents, and women were forced to work in textile mills.
 * In 1881 to pay of accumulating debt, the imperial government sold its enterprises to private investors thus encouraging individual innovation.

THE BIRTH OF JAPANESE IMPERIALISM This picture was created during the Sino-Japanese war in 1894. Japan and China fought fiercely for imperial power and Asian dominance. Japan coming out the victor proved their reforms and determination to the rest of the world.
 * Early on, the transformation of Japan was purely defensive as they were forced to prepare for foreign invasion. Later on though, their industrialization proved that it could do more than protect Japan, it could conquer other regions.
 * Japan's plan of imperialism was laid out by Yamagata Aritomo who believed that in order to remain independent, Japan would have to establish a sphere of influence in Korea, Manchuria, and parts of China. For this policy to be accomplished, Japan knew that it had to industrialize its military, and the key would be to hurry the production of the much needed battleships.
 * The Sino-Japanese War lasted less then 6 months, but gave Japan a huge advantage in the race for imperial domination. China evacuated Korea, ceded Taiwan and Liaodong Peninsula, and had to pay indemnity. Realizing that Japan was becoming a major power, the U.S., Britain, France, Russia, and Germany became upset. In response they forced Japan to give up their peninsula in the name of "territorial integrity" of China.

Japanese imperialism could not be stopped by any Asian armies. They used their advanced technology, high productivity, and foreign relations to create spheres of influence throughout much of Southeast Asia. Much land was granted to Japan through military conquest and eventual treaties, as was seen with the Treaty of Portsmouth which granted Japan influence in Korea and Manchuria.
 * After the Boxer Rebellion, China became very weak and vulnerable. For Russia and Japan, this became the perfect opportunity to gain China's mineral-rich province, Manchuria. Their fighting became known as the Russo-Japanese War. Japan surprisingly overcame Russia in 1905.
 * The Treaty of Portsmouth made Japan protectorate over Korea, Chinese port city trading rights, annexation of the island of Sakhalin, and control of Southern Manchuria.
 * Later, in 1910 Japan annexed Korea, putting direct rule over them.

POST-COLONIZATION
 * Japan's imperialism proved to be a conflict for many nations fighting in WWII. After their defeat, the U.S. occupied Japanese land, creating a parliamentary democracy and providing economic relief for rebuilding infrastructure.
 * Japan regained world power after showing economic stability without imperialism.

This map shows Japanese imperialism from 1870 through 1942. Through the late 19th century, Japan became heavily modernized due to the overthrow of their Tokugawa shogunate. This bold rebellion by local daimyo permitted foreign influence and industrialization.