Page 30 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Tokyo

28  INTRODUCING T OK Y O

but showed that greater military strength
would be needed for the nation to contend
as an imperial power equal with the West.
By the turn of the century, the trans­
formation to an industrial economy, with
textiles the chief export, was well under­
way. The Russo­Japanese war of 1904–5
Wood-block print of Sino-Japanese War of 1894–5 ended with Japan aggrandizing its claims
to Korea, which was annexed in 1910,
Meiji Restoration and southern Manchuria in China.
The Meiji Emperor (1852–1912) was During the final decade of the Meiji
16 when the restoration of imperial Emperor’s reign, the home ministry
rule was declared on January 3, 1868. stressed reverence for the emperor, the
Tokyo was swiftly made the new capital. family, the Shinto religion, and military
A new centralized system pressed for and national heroes. Suppression of
changes to render Japan capable of groups seen as enemies of the state
competing with the West. Military became the government’s prerogative.
conscription and the elimi nation of the
hereditary samurai class were undertaken War with China and World War II
to create a modern fighting force, provoking The attempt to transform Japan from a
furious resis tance from samurai in 1874–6. feudal to a modern industrial state caused
Daimyo domains were gradually trans­ severe dislocation. By 1929, when the stock
formed into prefectures, although daimyo market collapsed, resentment against those
and court nobles lingered in the form of a who had prospered from exports intensified.
new class called kazoku. Universal literacy Young officers, chafing to restore national
became a goal. By 1884, tax and banking pride, began assassinating rich moderates,
reforms, and an industrial strat­ while militarists and oligarchs
egy aimed at exports were in the government believed
underway. The Meiji Consti­ that seizing land from China
tution of 1889, promulgated and Russia would secure
by the emperor, allowed the raw materials and improve
military direct access to the national security. At the
throne while creating a house same time, a pan­Asianist
of peers and a lower house. movement, which saw Japan
Following disputes over on a mission to lead Asia out
control of the Korean of servility, took the Chinese
peninsula, the Sino­Japanese resistance to Japanese
War of 1894–5 ended with The Meiji Emperor (1852–1912), domination as an insult.
Japan’s victory over China, first emperor of modern Japan By 1937, the country was

1895 China cedes territory to Japan, ending war. Russia, France,
1889 Imperial constitution and Germany force Japan to relinquish the territory
1868 Meiji Restoration; promulgated
Edo is renamed Tokyo 1910 Korea becomes 1932 Young naval officers assassinate
and made capital Japanese colony prime minister and attempt coup
1865 1880 1895 1910 1925
1890 1905 Treaty of 1933 Japan
Imperial 1904 Russo­ Portsmouth ends withdraws from
Diet con­ Japanese war. Korea be comes a
1869 Colonization of war begins League of Nations
Hokkaido begins venes for Japanese protectorate
first time 1923 Great Kanto
Diet Building 1894 First Sino­Japanese war begins Earthquake

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