Japanese Response to Imperialism

Japanese Response to Imperialism

REVIEWSuez Canal: Shorter route from Europe to the East; Shortened trade routes; Easier access to coloniesPanama Canal: Quicker access from Pacific to Caribbean & vice versa; Toll required for passage; Produced income for controlling country

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONWhat effect did Japans rise to becoming a world power have on events in the future?

IntroductionJapan remained an independent nationJapanese were still influenced by Western ideasChanged their form of government & industrializedThe Meiji RestorationA group of samurai warriors overthrew the Tokugawa shogunate, & returned the emperor to power in 1868.The samurai had grown impatient with Japans old ways, & wanted a government & social system more like those of the WestOld system of social classes done away withAll citizens free to choose what kind of work they didRequired everyone to go to school Almost wiped out illiteracy

1899 New Japanese Constitution that gave people a say in the governmentVoting rights given to owners of large amount of property onlyEmperor given supreme power, but he didnt use itCreated 2 House national assembly called the Diet1 house of elected representatives Limited power1 house of appointed officials Held real powerThe Meiji RestorationIndustrializationBought factory machinery from WestEncouraged private citizens to start businessesSent students & leaders to West to learn about Western ideasPrince Ito HirobumiLeader that was sent to United StatesSummarized Japans Goals: Strive for highest point of civilization; Adopted military, naval, scientific, & educational institutions; Knowledge shared through foreign commerceBy 1900 Japan was 1st Asian country to industrializeCities linked by railroads & telephone linesFactories produced goods to be sold throughout the countryTextile Industry strong Exported cotton cloth & silkMoney from exports paid for imports: Iron Ore & Crude OilUsed raw materials to make steel & build shipsIndustrializationThe Sino-Japanese WarJapan became imperialists to prevent other countries from coming in and trying to take powerKorea, a Chinese colony, was Japans main interestRussia, France, & the U.S. all interested in KoreaJapan did not want Western powers controlling territory so close to them

1894 Rebellion begins in KoreaWanted freedom from ChinaJapan & China sent forces to KoreaJapan quickly defeated Chinas larger armyVictory due to more advanced modernization

The Sino-Japanese War1895 Treaty of ShimonosekiEnded Sino-Japanese WarKorea granted independenceJapan given Taiwan & right to trade with ChinaThis marked the beginning of Japan as a major world powerThe Sino-Japanese War