1. The Rise of
Modern Japan
An E nd to Isolation
C hapter 25

2. Preview Questions
• What effect did the Meiji Restoration have
on Japan?
• What steps did Japan take to become an
imperialist nation? Why?

3. Old Japan Background
• For hundreds of years, Japan was
an un-unified nation. Nobles
controlled their own lands and
were constantly fighting with their
neighbors.
• Samurai warriors were at the top
of the Japanese social order and
although only made up 10% of the
population, they were the most
elite and most powerful class.

4. Tokugawa Shogunate
• In 1603 however Japan became ruled by
a centralized authority in a gifted general,
Tokugawa Ieyasu.
• The Tokugawa rule brought a long
period of peace known as “Great
Peace.”
• He became shogun (general) in 1603
and created and solidified the Tokugawa
shogunate, which would rule Japan for
the next 250 years.

5. Why was Japan a Country of
Isolation?
• Just as the Tokugawa shogunate were unifying Japan,
the first Europeans began to arrive.
• They were welcomed at first but after destroying
religious shrines in attempt to convert the Japanese
people to Christianity, all missionaries were expelled.
• Not soon after, all foreign traders and merchants
were banned as well.
• Japan valued it’s culture and practices and to protect
them, entered a period of isolation from the rest of
the world.

6. Japan in Isolation
• To Europe and the United States, the
continued isolation of Japan was a
challenge.
Why do you think they cared if Japan was in
isolation or not?
 Economic interests. All Western powers were
convinced that global trade would benefit all
nations.

7. An End to Isolation
• The first country to succeed with Japan was
the United States.
• In the Summer of 1853, the US sent a fleet of 4
warships led by Commodore Matthew Perry.
This
No, not Matthew
this one… Perry

8. Perry’s Visit to Japan
• Perry brought a letter
from the President
asking for better
treatment of
shipwrecked sailors.
• He also requested the
opening of foreign
trade between Japan
and the U.S.

9. Perry’s Return
• Perry returned 6 months later. This time with a
fleet of 7 warships.
• The shogunate officials had been discussing the
issue.
– Some, intimidated by the Western military
recommended concession, or to make a political
compromise.
– Others felt that contact with the West would hurt
Japan.
• Under military pressure, Japan agreed to the
Treaty of Kanagawa which provided the return of
shipwrecked sailors and the opening of 2 ports to
Western traders.

10. Resistance to the Treaty
• The decision to open relations with
Western powers was highly unpopular in
parts of Japan. Especially with the old
samurai warriors.
• The alliance of the Satsuma and Choshu
warrior clans (Sat-Cho) fired on some
ships.
• The Westerners fired back of course and
destroyed the Sat-Cho fortifications.

11. End of the Tokugawa Shogunate
• The incident caused the Sat-Cho leaders to
be more determined not to give in to the
West.
• The also convinced the Sat-Cho leaders
that they must strengthen their military.
• In 1868, the Sat-Cho warriors attacked the
shogun’s palace and defeated him
• This was the end of the shogunate system.

12. The Meji Restoration
• Although the Sat-Cho leaders disliked the West,
they knew they had to change to survive.
• They knew they needed to reform and transform
Japan into a modern industrial nation.
• To create a symbol of the new era, the Sat-Cho
appointed the young Mutsuhio emperor.
• He called his reign the Meiji, or “Enlightened
Rule.”
• This period became known as the Meji
Restoration

13. Sat-Cho Power
• The emperor reigned,
but was nothing more
than a figurehead.
• The Sat-Cho leaders
ruled.
– One of their first acts of
power was to strip the
Daimyos of their titles
and land.

14. Transformation of Japanese Politics
• The Meiji government believed the rest of
the world didn’t view them as a “real”
power and they desperately wanted to
change that. Why?
• They carefully studied Western political
systems and although some wanted a more
democratic model like the U.S., most
wanted more power to the executive
branch.
• The new Meiji constitution was modeled
after that of Imperial Germany.

15. Building a Modern Social
Structure
• They knew they needed a modern military
to be able to compete with the Powers of
the West.
• Their motto became “Strengthen the
Military” and that is what they did.
• All men were required to serve 3 years in
the military and the new army was well
equipped with modern weapons.

16. • Answer the following:
– Why did Japan feel it needed to become an
imperialistic nation and expand it’s territory?
– Were they effective in their expansion? What were
the results?

17. Modern Education Structure
• The Meiji leaders realized they had to reform the
education system that included modern
technology.
• They adopted the American model of elementary,
secondary, and universities.
– It brought foreign scholars in math, science, and
engineering to teach in the new schools
– Also sent their brightest students to prestigious
universities in America and Europe

18. Education (cont.)
• Although the new education system was
Western in inspiration (modeled after American
and W. European schools), a great deal of
emphasis was still placed on the important
Japanese values of loyalty to the family, one
another and especially the emperor.
– Both teachers and students were required to
bow before a portrait of the emperor each
day.

19. Joining the Imperialist
Nations
• Why did Japan feel it needed to become an
imperialistic nation and expand it’s
territory?
– They saw other nations like Great Britain do
so successfully to amass great wealth and
power by expanding.
– As an island, they had no more land to expand
so they had to take it from someone else and
create colonies.

20. Japan’s War with China
• In 1874, Japan claimed control of Ryuku
Islands which were previously under the
control of the Chinese Empire.
– This began a war with China that Japan would
win.
– Japan then claimed Korea and Taiwan.

21. Japan’s War with Russia
• Russia was upset at Japan for taking Korea as they were
competing for the land as well but didn’t see them as
much of a threat.
– “We will only have to throw our caps at them and they will run
away.”
• In 1904, Japan launched a surprise attack on the Russian
naval base.
– The Russians turned out to be no match for the brave and
relentless Japanese troops and were forced to surrender.
• The Japanese victory stunned the world and in half a
century, Japan had become one of the great world
powers.