Late Meiji and Taisho Japan1868-1926

13b

Sino-Japanese War: 1894-95• Tonghak rebellion in Korea

– Korean government brings in Chinese help– Japan asserts and shows right to join China

• China and Japan clash in Korea

• Japan wins handily• Demands: Taiwan, the Pescadores, and the

Laodung Peninsula.

Triple Intervention

• Germany, France and Russia– Insist that Japan was too greedy– Japan must give up

Laodung Peninsula

• Russia takes over

Japan’s role on

Laodung Peninsula

Triple Intervention

Japan learns: • We’re not there yet• Westerners still don’t respect us

Japan’s response:

• We need to get richer, strongerFukoku Kyohei!!

Russo-Japanese War: 1904-05

• Negotiations over Russia’s and Japan’s roles in Korea and Manchuria break down

• Japan withdraws ambassador from Moscow– Launches all-out, surprise attack on Russia’s Pacific

fleet in harbor at Vladivostok

Russo-Japanese War: 1904-05

• Japan attacks Russia’s Pacific fleet in harbor at Vladivostok– Decimates Russian Pacific

Fleet – in port

– Quickly defeats Russia– Assumes primary control over Korean and

Manchurian economic interests

Japanese Motivation:Why expansion and aggression?

• Vulnerability: Japan is small and vulnerable– Triple intervention proved Japan must demand respect;

must earn respect

• Expanding population needed food supply stability

• Expanding industry needed raw materials and markets

• The ONLY Solution???

Fukoku Kyohei!!

Meiji EraJapanese Industry

• Zaibatsu: Japan’s major, family owned conglomerates– Largely built from Tokugawa era merchant

fortunes or Daimyo estate fortunes– Single-family, wholly owned firms– Diversified product lines

Zaibatsu Labor System• Lifetime employment

– No layoffs– No firing– No changing firms for promotion– Loyalty above all else

• Seniority– Strict, lock-step advancement and salary scale– Investment in employee training

Zaibatsu Labor System• Labor Unions

– Company Union – not craft union– Focus on sustainability and accommodation– Flexibility in job descriptions

• Company as a family– Company clinic– Company resort– Company entertainment– Company retirement

Japan Continues to Expand

• Annex Korea: 1910– Korea as a Japanese province– Koreans as Japanese – sort of

– Northern Korea – Like Manchuria provides natural resources, lumber, ore, manufacturing

– Southern Korea – Like Taiwan, provides food, especially rice

Japan Expands

• WW I: 1914• Japan enters on British, U.S. side

– Moves on German interests in Asia– 21 Demands on China (Jan. 1915)

• Effectively: China accepts tributary status behind Japan

• China rejects 21 Demands– Washington, Pres. Wilson, rejects 21 Demands

• Upholds Chinese Sovereignty• Japanese see this as persecution of Japan

JapaneseEmpire: 1922Fukoku

Kyohei

By 1922 Japan controlled: KoreaManchuriaTaiwanEnclaves in China

Domestic Politics:Taisho DemocracyNew Emperor Taisho: 1912-1926

• New era of domestic politics– From Oligarchs to Genro (elder statesmen)– Party Government

• Cabinet unofficially selected by Diet through party nominations (like in Britain)

Domestic Politics:Taisho Democracy

• Expansion of the franchise– Universal male suffrage 1926

• Freedom of Press

• Freedom of Speech

• Recognition of political parties

• Human rights and democracy movements emerge

Taisho DemocracyFlounders

Economic slowdown (precursor to Great Depression) hits Japan @1925

• Difficult economic times unsettle emerging democracy

• Zaibatsu leaders fear loss of resources and markets

• Military/Zaibatsu alliance emerges

Taisho Democracy FloundersSigns of reasserted authoritarian control:1925-27• Peace Preservation Act 1926 reigns in “excesses”

of free press and free speech• Military disrupts cabinet by withholding ministers• Campaign of political assassinations decimates

“liberal” ranks of politicians and government officials

• Imperial decree on education re-emphasizes Amaterasu and Divinity of the Emperor– Military ethics system reinvigorated

through schools– Japan’s special role as leader of Asia

becomes standard doctrine in schools

Taisho Democracy Undone

International Events disrupting Taisho Democracy

• WW I: 1914 – Military reinvigorated• 1915: 21 Demands on China

– Begin occupation of Manchuria– US President Wilson Supports Chinese

Sovereignty• 1921: Washington Treaty – Naval Arms Control

– 5:5:3 – Japan gets DISrespected• 1924: US – Japanese Exclusion Act• 1925 economic crisis strikes

– Leads to 1929 Depression

Taisho Democracy UndoneTaisho Democracy Collapses 1926• Taisho Emperor dies• Showa Emperor emerges

International and domestic crises emphasize• Japan’s smallness• Japan’s vulnerability

Japan’s military-industrial alliance combines with Bureaucrats to reassert control

Refocus nation’s efforts on… you guessed it…

Fukoku Kyohei!• Emphasis on military• Emphasis on economic independence

– Capture natural resources through colonies– Capture markets through colonies– Keep building strong manufacturing base

• Establish domestic order by:– Silencing “chaos” of democratic opposition– Unifying government -- assassinate liberals