History of Japan
Paleolithic 35000–14000 BC Jōmon period 14000–400 BC Yayoi period 400 BC – AD 250 Kofun period 250–538 Asuka period 538–710 Nara period 710–794 Heian period 794–1185 Kamakura period 1185–1333 Kemmu restoration 1333–1336 Muromachi period 1336–1573 Nanboku-chō period 1336–1392 Sengoku period Azuchi-Momoyama period 1568–1603 Nanban trade Edo period 1603–1868 Bakumatsu Meiji period 1868–1912 Meiji Restoration Taishō period 1912–1926 Japan in WWI Shōwa period 1926–1989 Japanese militarism Occupation of Japan Post-Occupation Japan Heisei period 1989–present
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The Meiji Restoration (明治維新, Meiji ishin^?), also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japan's political and social structure. The written history of Japan begins with brief references in the 1st century AD Twenty-Four Histories, a collection of Chinese historical texts The covers the period from around 100000 to 30000 BC when the earliest Stone tool implements have been found to around 14000 BC at the end of the last Ice-age, which corresponds The is the time in Japanese prehistory from about 14000 BC to 400 BC. The is an era in the history of Japan from about 500 BC to 300 AD. The is an era in the History of Japan from around 250 to 538 The word kofun is Japanese for the type of burial mounds dating from this era The, was a period in the History of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 (or 592-645 although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period. The of the History of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 by the first Kamakura Shogun The was a period of Japanese history that occurred from 1333 to 1336. The Muromachi period ( Japanese: 室町時代 Muromachi-jidai, also known as the Muromachi era, the Muromachi bakufu, the Ashikaga era The, spanning from 1336 to 1392, was a period that occurred during the early years of the Muromachi period of Japan 's history The came at the end of the Warring States Period in Japan, when the political unification that preceded the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate took place The Nanban trade ( Japanese: 南蛮貿易 nanban-bōeki, "Southern barbarian trade" or the Nanban trade period ( Japanese: 南蛮貿易時代 The, also referred to as the Tokugawa period (徳川時代 Tokugawa-jidai) is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868 are the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate came to an end The, or Meiji era, denotes the 45-year reign of the Meiji Emperor, running in the Gregorian calendar, from 23 October 1868 to 30 July The, or Taishō era, is a period in the History of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign Japan participated in from 1914 to 1917 as one of the major Entente Powers, played an important role in securing the sea lanes in South Pacific The, or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Shōwa ( Hirohito) from December 25, 1926 to refers to the Ideology in the Empire of Japan that Militarism should dominate the political and social life of the nation and that the strength of the military is At the end of World War II, Japan was occupied by the Allied Powers, led by the United States with contributions also from Australia, British Following the end of the Allied occupation in 1952 Japan emerged as a global Economic power is the current era name in Japan. The Heisei era started on January 8, 1989, just one day after the death of the reigning Emperor Hirohito The economic history of Japan is one of the most studied for its spectacular growth after the Meiji Revolution to be the first non European Power and after the Second World War The history of Education in Japan dates back at least to the sixth century when Chinese learning was introduced at the Yamato court The military history of Japan is characterised by a long period of Feudal Wars, followed by domestic stability and then foreign conquest The naval history of Japan can be said to begin in early interactions with states on the Asian continent in the early centuries of the 1st millennium, reaching a pre-modern peak This is the glossary of Japanese history including the major terms titles and events the casual (or brand-new reader might find useful in understanding articles on the subject For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. It occurred in the latter half of the 19th century, a period that spans both the late Edo period (often called Late Tokugawa shogunate) and the beginning of the Meiji Era. The, also referred to as the Tokugawa period (徳川時代 Tokugawa-jidai) is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868 are the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate came to an end The, or Meiji era, denotes the 45-year reign of the Meiji Emperor, running in the Gregorian calendar, from 23 October 1868 to 30 July Probably the most important foreign account of the events between 1862-1869 is contained in A Diplomat in Japan by Sir Ernest Satow. Sir Ernest Mason Satow PC, GCMG, (June 30 1843 - August 26 1929 known in Japan as アーネスト・サトウ was an outstanding British Scholar The restoration was a direct response to the opening of Japan by the arrival of the Black Ships of Commodore Matthew Perry and made Imperial Japan a great power. The Black Ships (in Japanese, 黒船 kurofune) was the name given to Western vessels arriving in Japan between the 15th and 19th centuries Please see " Commodore " for other uses of this rank Commodore is a rank of the United States Navy with a somewhat Matthew Calbraith Perry ( April 10, 1794 &ndash March 4, 1858) was the Commodore of the U The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku A great power is a Nation or State that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale

Contents 1 Alliances and allegiances 2 The Restoration 3 Motives 4 Effects 5 Why is it a Restoration? 6 See also 7 Reference and further reading 8 External links

Alliances and allegiances

The formation in 1866 of the Satsuma-Chōshū Alliance between Saigō Takamori, the leader of the Satsuma domain, and Kido Takayoshi, the leader of the Chōshū domain, built the foundation of the Meiji restoration. The, or Satchō Alliance was a Military alliance between the feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū formed in 1866 to combine their efforts was one of the most influential Samurai in Japanese history, living during the late Edo Period and early Meiji Era. This article is about the province For alternative meanings of the word Satsuma, see Satsuma (disambiguation was an old province also referred as Kido Kōin was a Japanese statesman during the Late Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji Restoration. The was a Feudal domain of Japan during the Edo period (1603-1867 occupying the whole of modern day Yamaguchi Prefecture. These two leaders supported the Emperor Kōmei (Emperor Meiji's father) and were brought together by Sakamoto Ryoma for the purpose of challenging the ruling Tokugawa Shogunate (bakufu) and restoring the emperor to power. The of Japan is the country's Monarch. He is the head of the Japanese Imperial Family. ( July 22, 1831 - January 30, 1867) was the 121st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession ( 15 November 1835 &ndash 10 December 1867) was a leader of the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa bakufu during the Bakumatsu The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the, and the, was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the Shoguns of In late 1867, Emperor Meiji ascended the throne after Emperor Kōmei's death. The (3 November 1852 — 30 July 1912 or Meiji the Great was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession reigning from 3 February This period also saw Japan change from being a feudal society to having a capitalist economy and left the Japanese with a lingering Western influence. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed

The Restoration

The Tokugawa Shogunate came to an official end on November 9, 1867, when the 15th Tokugawa Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu "put his prerogatives at the Emperor's disposal" and then resigned his position 10 days later. The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the, and the, was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the Shoguns of Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Tokugawa Yoshinobu 1st Prince of the Yoshinobu-ke (徳川 慶喜 Tokugawa Yoshinobu (also known as Keiki) October 28, 1837 &ndash This was effectively the "restoration" (Taisei Hōkan) of imperial rule, although Yoshinobu retained considerable power. It was on January 3, 1868 that the Emperor fully regained power. Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap

Shortly thereafter in January 1868, the Boshin War (War of the Year of the Dragon) started with the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in which an army led by forces from Chōshū and Satsuma defeated the ex-shogun's army and forced Emperor Meiji to strip Yoshinobu of all power. The was a Civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the The occurred between pro-Imperial and Tokugawa shogunate forces during the Boshin War in Japan The was a Feudal domain of Japan during the Edo period (1603-1867 occupying the whole of modern day Yamaguchi Prefecture. The Satsuma domain ( 薩摩藩 Satsuma Han) was one of the most powerful feudal domains in Tokugawa Japan, and played a major role in the On February 3rd, 1868, the Emperor made a formal declaration of the restoration of his power:

"The Emperor of Japan announces to the sovereigns of all foreign countries and to their subjects that permission has been granted to the Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu to return the governing power in accordance with his own request. The of Japan is the country's Monarch. He is the head of the Japanese Imperial Family. is a military rank and historical title in Japan. The Japanese word for "general" it is made up of two Kanji words sho, meaning "commander" Tokugawa Yoshinobu 1st Prince of the Yoshinobu-ke (徳川 慶喜 Tokugawa Yoshinobu (also known as Keiki) October 28, 1837 &ndash We shall henceforward exercise supreme authority in all the internal and external affairs of the country. Consequently the title of Emperor must be substituted for that of Tycoon, in which the treaties have been made. Officers are being appointed by us to the conduct of foreign affairs. It is desirable that the representatives of the treaty powers recognize this announcement. "

– February 3, 1868
Mutsuhito^[1]

Some shogunate forces escaped to Hokkaidō, where they attempted to set up the breakaway Republic of Ezo, but this came to an early end in May 1869 with the Battle of Hakodate in Hokkaidō. The (3 November 1852 — 30 July 1912 or Meiji the Great was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession reigning from 3 February WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan 's Background After the defeat of the forces of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the Boshin War (1868&ndash1869 of the Meiji Restoration, a part of the The was fought in Japan from 1868-10-20 to 1869-05-17, between the remnants of the Tokugawa shogunate army consolidated into the armed forces of the rebel WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan 's The defeat of the armies of the former shogun (led by Enomoto Takeaki and Hijikata Toshizo) marked the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate; all defiance to the emperor and his rule ended. Viscount was a Japanese Navy admiral faithful to the Tokugawa Shogunate, who fought against the new Meiji government until the end of the Boshin Hijikata Toshizō (土方歳三 May 31, 1835 — June 20, 1869) was the deputy leader of Shinsengumi, a small-built and talented

Motives

The leaders of the Meiji Restoration, as this revolution came to be known, acted in the name of restoring imperial rule. However, political power simply moved from the Tokugawa Shogun to an oligarchy consisting of themselves, mostly from the Satsuma Province (Okubo Toshimichi and Saigō Takamori), and the Chōshū province (Ito Hirobumi, Yamagata Aritomo, and Kido Koin). Oligarchy' ( Greek, Oligarkhía) is a Form of government where Political power effectively rests with a small elite segment This article is about the province For alternative meanings of the word Satsuma, see Satsuma (disambiguation was an old province (10 August 1830 &ndash 14 May 1878 was a Japanese Statesman, a Samurai of Satsuma, and one of the Three great nobles who was one of the most influential Samurai in Japanese history, living during the late Edo Period and early Meiji Era. The was a Feudal domain of Japan during the Edo period (1603-1867 occupying the whole of modern day Yamaguchi Prefecture. was a Japanese statesman Resident-General of Korea, four time Prime Minister of Japan (the 1st 5th 7th and 10th and Genrō. Field Marshal was a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and twice Prime Minister of Japan. also referred as Kido Kōin was a Japanese statesman during the Late Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji Restoration. This reflected their belief in the more traditional practice of imperial rule, whereby the emperor performs his high priestly duties and his ministers govern the nation in his name.

Effects

The Meiji Restoration was the catalyst toward industrialization in Japan that led to the rise of the island nation as a military power by 1905, under the slogan of "Enrich the country, strengthen the military" (富国強兵, fukoku kyōhei^?). is a process of social and economic change whereby a human group is transformed from a Pre-industrial society into an industrial one Fukoku kyōhei ("Enrich the country strengthen the military" originally a phrase from the ancient Chinese historical work on the Warring States Period,

The Meiji oligarchy that formed the government under the rule of the Emperor first introduced measures to consolidate their power against the remnants of the Edo period government, the shogunate, daimyo, and the samurai class. The Meiji Oligarchy, as the new ruling class of Meiji period Japan is known to historians was a privileged clique that exercised imperial power sometimes is a military rank and historical title in Japan. The Japanese word for "general" it is made up of two Kanji words sho, meaning "commander" The ( were powerful territorial lords who ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings is the term for the military nobility of Pre-industrial Japan.

In 1868, all Tokugawa lands were seized and placed under 'Imperial control', thus placing them under the prerogative of the new Meiji government. In 1869, the daimyo of the Tosa, Hizen, Satsuma and Chōshū domains, who were pushing most fiercely against the shogunate, were persuaded to 'return their domains to the Emperor'. The was a Feudal domain in Tosa Province of Japan (present-day Kōchi Prefecture) during the Edo period. Saga Domain (佐賀藩 Saga-han) was a han, or feudal domain, in Tokugawa period Japan. The Satsuma domain ( 薩摩藩 Satsuma Han) was one of the most powerful feudal domains in Tokugawa Japan, and played a major role in the The was a Feudal domain of Japan during the Edo period (1603-1867 occupying the whole of modern day Yamaguchi Prefecture. Other daimyo were subsequently persuaded to do so, thus creating, arguably for the first time, a central government in Japan which exercised direct power through the entire 'realm' (天下).

Finally, in 1871, the daimyo, past and present, were summoned before the Emperor, where it was declared that all domains were now to be returned to the Emperor. The was an act in 1871 of the new Meiji government of the Empire of Japan to replace the traditional feudal domain ( han) system and to introduce The roughly 300 domains (han) were turned into prefectures, each under the control of a state-appointed governor. Until 1888, several prefectures were merged in several steps to reduce their number to 75. The daimyo were promised 1/10 of their fiefs' income as private income. Furthermore, their debts and payments of samurai stipends were to be taken over by the state.

The oligarchs also endeavoured to abolish the four divisions of society. The four divisions of society refers to the model of Japanese society during the Edo period.

Throughout Japan at the time, the samurai numbered 1. 9 million. (For comparison, this was more than 10 times the size of the French privileged class before the 1789 French Revolution. The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an Moreover, the samurai in Japan were not merely the lords, but also their higher retainers--people who actually worked. ) With each samurai being paid fixed stipends, their upkeep presented a tremendous financial burden, which may have prompted the oligarchs to action. Whatever their true intentions, the oligarchs embarked on another slow and deliberate process to abolish the samurai class. First, in 1873, it was announced that the samurai stipends were to be taxed on a rolling basis. Later, in 1874, the samurai were given the option to convert their stipends into government bonds. Finally, in 1876, this commutation was made compulsory.

To reform the military, the government instituted nationwide conscription in 1873, mandating that every male would serve in the armed forces upon turning 21 for four years; followed by three more years in the reserves. One of the primary differences between the samurai and peasant class was the right to bear arms; this ancient privilege was suddenly extended to every male in the nation.

Not surprisingly, this led to a series of riots from disgruntled samurai. One of the major riots was the one led by Saigō Takamori, the Satsuma rebellion, which eventually turned into a civil war. was one of the most influential Samurai in Japanese history, living during the late Edo Period and early Meiji Era. The, was a revolt of Satsuma ex- Samurai against the Meiji government from January 29 1877 to September 241877 11 years into the Meiji Era. This rebellion was, however, put down swiftly by the newly formed Imperial Japanese Army, trained in Western tactics and weapons, even though the core of the new army was the Tokyo police force, which was largely composed of former samurai. The Imperial Japanese Army ( IJA) ( Kyūjitai: 大日本帝國陸軍 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国陸軍 Romaji: Dai-Nippon Teikoku officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. This sent a strong message to the dissenting samurai that their time was indeed up. There were fewer subsequent samurai uprisings and the distinction became all but a name as the samurai joined the new society. The ideal of samurai military spirit lived on in romanticized form and was often used as propaganda during the early 20th century wars of the Empire of Japan. The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku

However, it is equally true that the majority of samurai were content despite having their status abolished. Many found employment in the government bureaucracy, which resembled an elite class in its own right. The samurai, being better educated than most of the population, became teachers, government officials, or military officers. While the formal title of samurai was abolished, the elitist spirit that characterised the samurai class lived on.

The oligarchs also embarked on a series of land reforms. The Japanese Land Tax Reform of 1873 or was started by the Meiji Government in 1873, or the 6th year of the Meiji era. In particular, they legitimized the tenancy system which had been going on during the Tokugawa period. Despite the bakufu's best efforts to freeze the four classes of society in place, during their rule villagers had begun to lease land out to other farmers, becoming rich in the process. is a military rank and historical title in Japan. The Japanese word for "general" it is made up of two Kanji words sho, meaning "commander" This greatly disrupted the clearly defined class system which the bakufu had envisaged, partly leading to their eventual downfall.

Why is it a Restoration?

An ongoing debate is currently occurring between historians as to the historical legitimacy of the name "restoration", as opposed to a "coup" or "revolution". There are reasons to call it all three. ^[2]

Advocates of the term "coup" would point out the fact that there was a change in only the regime, with the fighting confined to the elite, which managed to avoid being spread to the rest of society and that there was a shared sense of national mission and class values. However, this term only refers to the political leaders - not commoners. More importantly, it also does not represent the wider historical context of the period, and the various ideological struggles of the time in addition to the subsequent radical changes of society.

The direct challenge to the legitimacy of the Tokugawa Regime in 1868 identifies this event as a revolution. The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the, and the, was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the Shoguns of This term also implies an anticipation of subsequent radical changes and indicates that the regime was toppled through the combination of concerns and actions of different groups. This term is problematic because it gives the false impression that rebels had unified or coherent plans for the future and it does not account for the relatively peaceful transition or how much actually stayed the same within the country.

The events of 1868 can be viewed in terms of a restoration because the opposition made claims that the Tokugawa Shogunate had usurped the power to govern from the emperor. The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the, and the, was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the Shoguns of This claim as well as the strictly isolationist sentiments of the times is an accurate representation of the event, in some ways. The word restoration implies a focus on the elite ideological debates but does not address the regional and religious tensions of the period. It also undervalues the strategic nature of restorationist claims and gives a false impression of unity among the rebelling houses. The most detrimental implication of this term is that it offers no concrete explanation of how ordinary people came to accept the legitimacy of direct imperial rule.

See also

• History of Japan
• Tokugawa Shogunate
• Lists of incumbents
• Sakamoto Ryōma
• Emperor Meiji
• Meiji-era leaders
• Modernization of Japanese Military 1868-1931
• Meiji Constitution
• Bakumatsu
• Rurouni Kenshin
• The Last Samurai
• Timeline of Reiki history
• Chinese Tongzhi Restoration that failed

Reference and further reading

• Akamatsu, Paul (1972). Meiji 1868: Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Japan. New York: Harper & Row, 1247.  
• Beasley, W. G. (1972). The Meiji Restoration. Stanford: Stanford University Press.  
• Beasley, W. G. (1995). The Rise of Modern Japan: Political, Economic and Social Change Since 1850. New York: St. Martin's Press.  
• Craig, Albert M. (1961). Chōshū in the Meiji Restoration. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.  
• Jansen, Marius B. ; Gilbert Rozman, eds. (1986). Japan in Transition: From Tokugawa to Meiji. Princeton: Princeton University Press.  
• Jansen, Marius B. (2000). The Making of Modern Japan. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.  
• Murphey, Rhoads (1997). East Asia: A New History. New York: Addison Wesley Longman.  
• Satow, Ernest. Sir Ernest Mason Satow PC, GCMG, (June 30 1843 - August 26 1929 known in Japan as アーネスト・サトウ was an outstanding British Scholar A Diplomat in Japan. ISBN 4-925080-28-8.  
• Wall, Rachel F. (1971). Japan's Century: An Interpretation of Japanese History since the Eighteen-fifties. London: The Historical Association.  
• Harry D. Harootunian, Toward Restoration (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1970), “Introduction”, pp 1 – 46; on Yoshida: chapter IV “The Culture of Action – Yoshida Shōin”, pp 184 – 219).

• Najita Tetsuo, The Intellectual Foundations of Modern Japanese Politics (Chicago & London: University of Chicago Press), chapter 3: “Restorationism in Late Tokugawa”, pp 43 – 68.

• H. Van Straelen, Yoshida Shōin, Forerunner of the Meiji Restoration: A Biographical Study (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1952).

• David M. Earl, Emperor and Nation in Japan (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1972), on Yoshida: “Attitude toward the Emperor/ Nation”, pp 161 – 192. Also pp. 82 – 105.

• Marius B Jansen, Sakamoto Ryōma and the Meiji Restoration (New York: Columbia University Press, 1994) especially chapter VIII: “Restoration”, pp 312 - 346.

• W. G. Beasley, The Meiji Restoration (Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1972), especially chapter VI: “Dissenting Samurai”, pp 140 – 171.

• Conrad Totman, “From Reformism to Transformism, bakufu Policy 1853 – 1868”, in: T. Najita & V. J. Koshmann, Conflict in Modern Japanese History (New Jersay: Princeton University Press, 1988), pp. 62 – 80.

• Jansen, Marius B. : The Meiji Restoration, in: Jansen, Marius B. (ed. ): The Cambridge history of Japan, Volume 5: The nineteenth century (New York: Cambridge UP, 1989), pp. 308-366.

External links

• Tokugawa Period's Influence on Meiji Restoration

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