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The History & Present Situation of Japan
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Examines troubled liberalization & Westernization of the Japanese political & social systems.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Examines troubled liberalization & Westernization of the Japanese political & social systems.
Paper Introduction:
In the 19th and 20th centuries, the role of the emperor of Japan has gone through a change from the way the imperial ruler was originally developed, and after World War II the greatest change of all was brought about by the new constitution imposed by the American Occupation. The Meiji period in the 19th century was the beginning of the rapid development of economic life in Japan, a period of modernization and of the emergence of new elites based on expertise and technical knowledge. The Revolution of 1868 was a restoration to power of the Imperial dynasty, leading to the Meiji period lasting into this century. The leaders of the Restoration were young samurai of the great western fiefs who became a self-perpetuating oligarchy more influential in the Meiji government than the Emperor himself. They were united in their
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The process ofconcentration by enterprising merchants and financiers led to the creationof the "financial clique," or zaibatsu. The surrender of Japan to the United States after the bombings ofHiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 was described by the emperor as "enduringthe unendurable and suffering what is insufferable," but he asked theJapanese people to do just that when it was clear that there was no otherchoice. From 1945 to 1947, there followeda period of demilitarization and democratization under the direction ofGeneral Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers(SCAP). Education wasimproved, and the people were educated in banking and financial matters.Military preparedness was the principal aim of industrialization, so thefirst to be established were munitions plants, heavy industries, andcommunications facilities. In the 19th and 2 th centuries, the role of the emperor of Japan hasgone through a change from the way the imperial ruler was originallydeveloped, and after World War II the greatest change of all was broughtabout by the new constitution imposed by the American Occupation. War crimes trials were held at which 4,2 Japanese officials were found guilty. (1987). Feudalism was abolished, and the Daimyo surrendered theirfiefs to the Throne. The governmentabolished the samurai and eta classes, the latter having been limited forcenturies to menial or humiliating occupations and an outcast socialstatus. The Ministry of Education worked to eradicateilliteracy and to train the populace in the duties of citizenship. Thepress was westernized and served the purposes of the government by keepingthe people aware of their new responsibilities, and it also offeredliberals and dissenters a degree of freedom of expression. TheMeiji period in the 19th century was the beginning of the rapid developmentof economic life in Japan, a period of modernization and of the emergenceof new elites based on expertise and technical knowledge. (1989). At first, they were inclined to discount him butcame to see his importance. The intention of theleadership was to modernize rather than to Westernize. Zaibatsu means literally"wealth group," and these were powerful financial or industrial combinesthat merged during the Meiji era and that were implicated in the militaristregimes of the thirties and forties (Dolan & Worden, 199 , p. The zaibatsu, communal business organizations,were prohibited, but the government would later take over many of the samefunctions and would provide the same economic impetus. Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress.Morton, W. The adoption of aparliamentary system was also not without its conflicts and its bloodshed(Webb, 1989, 29-3 ). The leaders of the Restorationwere young samurai of the great western fiefs who became a self-perpetuating oligarchy more influential in the Meiji government than theEmperor himself. After defeat in 1945, the eliteswere purged for a time from leadership positions, though many were laterrevived and rehabilitated, and the Emperor was a problem the occupationforces had to address. E., & Worden, R. At that time, Japan's navy and army ministries were abolished, hermunitions and military equipment destroyed, and her war industriesconverted to civilian uses. Underpressure from SCAP, the government sought to amend the 1889 MeijiConstitution, and on May 3, 1947 the new Japanese Constitution came intoforce. They did not intend tosacrifice tradition or the basic structure of their society, and the roleof the emperor was largely a matter of tradition (Morton, 1987, 153-154). The terms of surrender included the occupation of Japan by Alliedmilitary forces, assurances that Japan would never again go to war, therestriction of the sovereignty of Japan to the four main islands, and thesurrender of Japan's colonial holdings. Schools for women were established, and women also gained legalrights to head household and to initiate divorce actions (Webb, 1989, 31-33). This document embodied constitutional reforms as well as economicreforms, including agricultural land redistribution, the reestablishment oftrade unions, and severe proscriptions zaibatsu. L. BibliographyDolan, R. (199 ). New York: Columbia University Press. They introduced two European institutions--parliamentarygovernment and the political party. This was the foundation of Japaneseliberalism. These firms organized an electricpower system and built great industries. Japan did not produce truly liberal political institutions in spiteof the adoption of Western parliamentarianism, but Japanese economicmodernization along Western lines was very successful. The essential role of the emperor would remain the same until afterWorld War II, with the emperor seen as spiritual leader and even divinityas well as embodying the secular state. An introduction to Japan. 6 ). Seven hundred were executed, and186, public figures were purged. They were united in their conviction that they alone hadthe experience needed and the sense of responsibility to direct the affairsof the state. S. The samurai were reduced from being hereditary arms-bearers and pensioners to the status of commoners, leading to considerableresentment among the more conservative elements. Reforms wereinstituted once more, and after the end of the occupation period thegovernment would adopt some of these reforms and change the system in otherways to suit Japanese needs. Crowell.Webb, H. During the Meiji era, the emperor was seen as theembodiment of the legitimacy of the state, and this was written into theMeiji constitution (Dolan and Worden, 199 , 3 8). Numerous business enterprises andfinancial institutions were developed at this time. Through all this, the role of the emperor retained its largelyceremonial role. The Revolutionof 1868 was a restoration to power of the Imperial dynasty, leading to theMeiji period lasting into this century. Japan: A country study. Japan: Its history and culture. They chose the bestmodel in each field of technology and administration and adopted them tomake Japan powerful and a match for other nations. Shinto as the state religion wasdisestablished, and Emperor Hirohito repudiated his divinity. New York: Thomas Y.
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