The Meiji Restoration: History and Influence

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The Background of Meiji Restoration

The Meiji Restoration is largely recognized in the Japanese history as a political as well as social revolution that brought the Tokugawa era to an end. The revolution took place between 1866 and 1869 and played a key role in restoring the image of the Emperor in Japanese culture and politics.

Drawing from a study by Szczepanski (1), the Meiji Restoration was ‘started in order to deal with threats coming from western nations such as the United States which had made great strides in technological advancement’. Surrounding neighbors such as China were already suffering under the hands of western powers and Japanese political elites were afraid that soon Japan was going to follow suit. Ostensibly, the number of domestic problems was on the rise in Japan and the nation was afraid of being subdued by foreign nations. This created a strong desire among the Japanese people to establish a powerful nation capable of protecting itself against any form of external aggression.

Fear among the Japanese eventually led to the destruction of the Tokugawa regime and subsequent emergence of Mutsuhito as the Meiji Emperor in 1967. A strong emperor was therefore instituted to assume a central position in Japanese politics and culture.

Influence of Meiji Restoration

To a large extent, the Meiji Restoration transformed the nation into a democratic state and stimulated equality among all the people of Japan. During the Tokugawa regime, the Japanese people were placed in four different categories or classes. The samurai class comprised of those considered to be the most valuable while the Merchants class was regarded as the least product group of people in the early history of Japan.

The Meiji Restoration brought the class system to an end, created an equal society, and established a modern day military power. As explained earlier, the need for a strong military power was informed by increased contact between the Japanese and outsiders. In addition, the Meiji Restoration also led to the recognition of human rights in Japan.

How Meiji Restoration Changed Japan

Political as well as economic and social change was at the center of the Meiji Restoration. Despite the fact that it was a major source of trauma for the people of Japan, it is largely responsible for what Japan is today. The Meiji Restoration transformed Japan from a less privileged country and opened an opportunity for it to become one of the world’s leading economies. Apart from being the world’s third largest economy, Japan is widely recognized as an innovative nation and a leader in technology. This is all thanks to the changes associated with the Meiji Restoration. Arguably, the Meiji Restoration transformed Japan from a nation that felt threatened by foreigners to a super power.

Why after Meiji Restoration Japan became one of the Modernized and Powerful Nation in the Early 20th Century

As pointed out by Mendl (12), the situation in Japan ‘drastically changed after the Meiji Restoration’. The “Nanshin-ron” or opinion on the southward movement was advanced and the southern regions became a focal point of attention as ideal areas for trade and emigration. This was further reinforced by the publication of research reports and books of travels that helped to deepen the knowledge of the Japanese people on the southern regions.

Besides the above development, a number of Japanese scholars were sponsored to western countries to learn their ways of life and return home with advanced skills. Undoubtedly, this created an opportunity for Japan to tap into the strengths of the western countries through its citizens. Similarly, Japan opened doors to resourceful individuals from western countries. These foreigners were later given opportunities to teach the locals and equip them with skills necessary for industrial development.

The government of Japan also decided to support local business men and women and undertook to improve transport as well as communication networks throughout the country. Allegedly, this was done with a view to transforming the Japanese economy from an agrarian one witnessed during the Tokugawa era into an industrial one. In addition, the nation devoted itself to establishing a strong military team capable of protecting its territories from any form of external aggression. The new military force adopted new fighting strategies that completely replaced the older methods used by the samurai. Young men and women were subjected to compulsory elementary education to prepare them for the future while the manufacturing industry was greatly enhanced.

All the strategies discussed here were aimed at making Japan a great nation and to a large extent, this was realized. The growth of Japan in both innovation and technology is mainly accredited to the decisions that were made immediately after the Meiji Restoration. As pointed out earlier, this created an opportunity for Japan to become the third largest economy in the world.

Why the Meiji Restoration Happened in Japan Rather than China or Korea

The Meiji Restoration took place in Japan mainly because Japan chose a completely different strategy from that adopted by China and Korea. While China and Korea were unwilling to accept the demands of western nations, Japan easily welcomed them and decided to create avenues for interaction with them. Japan understood that in order to succeed in their quest for development, it was necessary to have healthy relations with the western powers. Apparently, this presented the country with a good strategy for dealing with external aggression.

The approach adopted by Japan made it possible for the nation to empower its citizens and ensure that everyone was involved in nation building. As earlier noted, this included creating a means through which Japanese boys and girls managed to enroll for elementary education. Opportunities arose for Japanese nationals to learn from individuals from western countries. Japan also opted to strengthen the operations of local manufacturing companies through massive investments. The association between Japan and the western powers opened an avenue for the people of Japan to interact and learn new skills that helped to advance the development agenda in Japan.

Conclusion

Without a doubt, the Meiji Restoration created a strong foundation for what Japan is today. Although Japanese nationals were initially subjected to pain and suffering, this cannot be compared to the benefits realized by country. Unlike its neighbors such as China and Korea, Japan decided to deal with its fears by creating opportunities to learn from western nations that posed a threat to its existence.

Over the years, the country has experienced remarkable economic growth and is currently one of the leading economies in the world. Japan is also a world leader in technological advancement. Seemingly, this was made possible by the attitude of the Japanese people towards the western nations. Rather than resisting their entry, they welcomed them and later grew by learning from them.

Works Cited

Mendl, Wolf. Japan and South East Asia: From the Meiji Restoration to 1945. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis, 2001. Print.

Szczepanski, Kallie. 2015. What Was the Meiji Restoration? Web.

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