Summary HY113 Japan to 1945 Reading/ Lecture Notes
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Course
HY113
Institution
London School Of Economics (LSE)
Notes relating to Japan between the nineteenth century and 1945 (the road to 1945).
These notes have been used to produce 1st pieces of historical work.
Ideal for exam and assessment preparation for HY113 module.
Japan= the non-European Great Power
Tokugawa Era: from mid-C17 to 1853, Japan was isolated from the rest of the world and was
organized as a feudal realm
In 1853, Japan was forced to open itself up by the US
1868 Meiji Restoration saw new government under Emperor Meiji seek to modernize Japan
around a new stable regime
Meiji Reforms: Western style military, improved universal education system, new legal system
based on Western model, 1889 Constitution
Meiji state has been debated as either progressive or authoritarian
Meiji elite were suspicious of democracy as well as socialism
Some historians have interpreted Japan as exhibiting mimetic imperialism in the period up until
the early twentieth century (mimetic imperialism referring to the tendency of Japan to attempt
emulating the West as much as possible)
Challenges to ‘mimetic imperialism’ thesis:
● Japan’s first colony (Taiwan) was acquired in 1895
● Japanese priority until 1894 was treaty revision with the West (not the acquisition of
an empire)
● Japan’s relations with Russia from 1894-1905 were defensive as opposed to
aggressive
Japanese victory over Russia was consolidated after the 1905 Treaty of Portsmouth (signed in
New Hampshire) which saw Japan gain southern Sakhalin, a Kwantung lease in South
Manchuria and a protectorate over Korea (K later became a colony, 1910)
Post-1905: Japanese military gained greater leverage in public affairs and the Japanese state
took on an expansionist nature (1905= turning point in Japanese aims/ intentions?)
Japanese Industrialization:
● Japan wanted self-sufficiency for security reasons (leading to the creation of a heavy
industry sector) => rising bourgeoisie/ skilled labor
● Urbanization= product of industrialization
● Pluralistic political factions begin to challenge authoritarian tendencies of Meiji elite=
increasingly powerful political parties
WW1:
● Japanese imperialists sought concessions from China + hoped a crisis would inhibit
political parties= beneficial to those obsessed with national security
● Boom in Japanese economy (fueled by armament exports/ entrance into South Asian
markets no longer dominated by the British) => inflation => wave of rice riots =>
unrest
● Rise of socialism by 1917 led to reframing of WW1 as a battle for democracy and
against militarism= greater pressure on military to concede to political parties
Taisho Democracy:
● Taisho= imperial successor to Meiji
● 1918: Elite were forced to agree to Hara becoming Japanese PM (Hara was an
ordinary citizen)
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