Causes of Japanese Expansionism Overview and Background

Causes of Japanese Expansion The buildup of these factors started with early Japanese nationalism of the late 1800s Causes of Japanese Expansion Nationalism in Japan Political Instability in China Political and economic Impact of the Great Depression Militarism in Japan

Early Japanese Nationalism Emperor Shogun Daimyo Samurai Farmers Artisans Peasants Before 1867, Japan was a strictly segregated feudal society, with a structure very similar to that which existed in the Middle Ages. It lasted far longer in Japan than in Europe due to the island’s seclusion from the rest of the world. Head of the samurai, commanding general of the Japanese army Feudal lords Special, privileged warrior class – fought to protect daimyo Under the shogunate, Japan followed a strict isolationist foreign policy. The basis of nationalism was the underlying belief in the superiority of Japanese culture (esp. since they had initially been under Chinese influence)

‘Eastern morals and western science’ Japan and the US The US was the main power interested in extending its interests in Japan during the 1850s and was eventually successful in gaining trade access through the use of “gun-boat diplomacy” Gun-boat diplomacy: threatening the use of force (usually done by western nations) if a country would not agree to certain requests by sending in warships as a means of intimidation (used by Britain in China, led to the Opium Wars) Because these treaties made important concessions to the Western powers (and all were signed without the emperor’s consent), numerous pro-imperial and anti-western factions were able to start anti-government movements. The main supporters were often fanatical and willing to die for the cause (shishi – “men of high purpose”) ‘Eastern morals and western science’

The Meiji Restoration (1868) Yoshida Shoin (an early shishi leader) wanted the old feudal system to be transformed in a way that would allow Japan to resist Western powers through greater national unity Claimed the existing government was incapable of removing western powers (was executed in 1859) Feelings of nationalist resentment toward western influence continued to grow and the government adopted an anti-Western, seclusionist policy 1866 – Emperor Meiji (15 yrs old), faced threat of civil war between the pro-government and anti-western factions 1868 – Order was restored, imperial capital (Edo) was renamed Toyko and the goal of the new government was to prevent Japan from falling even further under Western control Enrich the country, strengthen the military Slogan of new imperial Japan starting in 1868. This would become increasingly influential in the 1920s and 1930s