1. Japanese Modernization
How Japan turned their country from FEUDALISM to FORCEFUL POWER in 20 years!
Japanese Modernization

2. Tokugawa Japan
1603: centralized feudalism, closed Japan to foreigners, and forbade Japanese people to travel overseas (Dutch ONLY allowed at Nagasaki for TRADE ONLY)
By 1800s, most Japanese were unhappy: shogun had lost power, daimyo’s wealth declining, and peasants paid heavy taxes!

3. Commodore Perry’s Fleet
1853: U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry arrives with “Great White Fleet”
After what Opium War did to China, Japan was very nervous that the same would happen to them
Forced to sign unequal treaties
1867: New Emperor Mutsuhito takes over, moves capital to Edo (renamed TOKYO)
Begins MEIJI Restoration

4. Meiji Restoration 1868-1912: Turning point in Japanese history!
“rich country, strong military”
Study and adopt Western ways to avoid becoming what China had become
Reforms?
Modern government based on Western democracy
Industrialization
Some educational reforms

5. Results? MASSIVE transformation of Japanese society!
Desire to “show off” new military
Sino-Japanese War 1894
Russo-Japanese War 1905
Japan annexes Korea in 1910: harsh rule just like the West had done in Africa and Asia!
Koreans resist in 1919, but are brutally crushed!  March First Movement