IR437 NATIONALISM AND ETHNICITY

NATIONALISM IN JAPAN

JAPAN

• Japan had fought on the side of the Allies (Britain, France, Russia, Italy and later the U.S) in the First World War• During the war, Japan supplied weapons to their European

partners particularly Russia• They took advantage of the war by expanding their economic

and political influence in East Asia• In addition to ruling Korea and Taiwan, Japan wanted to spread

its influence over to China.• In 1915, Japanese diplomats forced Chinese government to

accept a list of terms known as Twenty One Demands

21 Demands

• Seizing the opportunity effected by the onset of war in 1914, and by its status as an Allied power, Japan presented China with a secret ultimatum in January 1915 designed to give Japan regional ascendancy over China.• The 21 demands in effect made China a Japanese protectorate• required that China immediately cease its leasing of territory to

foreign powers and to ascent to Japanese control over Manchuria and Shandong (Shantung) among other demands.• Manchuria was important for its natural resources (minerals

and coal reserves) and farmland.

21 Demands

• For the Chinese Government grant to the Japanese subjects the right of mining in South Manchuria and Eastern Inner Mongolia.• For the Chinese Government agree to Japan's building a

railway connecting Chefoo or Lungkow with the Kiaochou Tsinanfu Railway.• The Japanese subjects shall be permitted in South

Manchuria and Eastern Inner Mongolia to lease or own land required either for erecting buildings for various commercial and industrial uses or for farming.

Japan and the West

• When World War one ended, Japan received Germany’s Pacific islands as mandates from the League of Nations• The Japanese also entered into a series of military and

commercial agreements with Western powers• In 1922, the disarmament conference in Washington led to a

five power agreement among Japan, Great Britain, U.S, Italy and France which allowed Japan to become the world third largest naval power after Great Britain and U.S• Yet, in spite of this the Japanese were very bitter towards the

West

South Pacific Mandate

• The South Pacific Mandate was one of several mandates given by the League of Nations to various governments following World War I. • The South Pacific Mandate consisted of islands in the Pacific

Ocean that were part of the German Empire and were occupied by Empire of Japan during the war. • The islands are now part of Palau, Northern Mariana

Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Marshall Islands. 

Washington Naval Treaty

• The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was a treaty among the major nations that had won World War I, which by the terms of the treaty agreed to prevent an arms race by limiting naval construction. • It was negotiated at the Washington Naval Conference, which

was held in Washington, D.C., from November 1921 to February 1922, and signed by the governments of the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, France, and Italy. • It limited the construction of battleships,

battlecruisers and aircraft carriers by the signatories. 

Washington Naval Treaty• Immediately after World War I, the United Kingdom had the

world's largest and most powerful navy, followed by the United States and more distantly by Japan. • The three nations had been allied for World War I, but a

naval arms race seemed likely for the next few years. This arms race began in the United States. President Woodrow Wilson's administration announced successive plans for the expansion of the U.S. Navy from 1916 to 1919 that would have resulted in a massive fleet of 50 modern battleships.• In response, the Japanese parliament finally authorised

construction of warships to enable the Japanese Navy to reach its target of an "eight-eight" fleet programme, with eight modern battleships and eight battlecruisers.

Japan and the West

• Japan felt that the West did not accept it as equal• In 1919 League of Nations, dominated by Western powers

refused to accept Japan’s demands for a statement of racial equality in the League’s charter.• The Japanese regarded this rejection as humiliation• In 1924, the U.S banned further Japanese immigration to its

shores• In response, Japanese staged demonstrations and

boycotted American goods

Japan and the West

• The Japanese was angered further by the West’s refusal to support Japanese policy in China• Japan wanted to tie China closer to itself• The West wanted to retain the Open Door Policy• Due to pressure from the West, Japan had to abandon the

21 Demands and recognize Western interests in China

Open Door Policy

• Secretary of State John Hay first articulated the concept of the “Open Door” in China in a series of notes in 1899–1900. • These Open Door Notes aimed to secure international

agreement to the U.S. policy of promoting equal opportunity for international trade and commerce in China, and respect for China’s administrative and territorial integrity. • British and American policies toward China had long

operated under similar principles, but once Hay put them into writing, the “Open Door” became the official U.S. policy towards the Far East in the first half of the 20th century.

Social and Political Tension

• After the First World War, Japan faced political and economic challenges at home• One of the major concerned was population explosion or

dramatic increased in population• Japan’s population had increased from 35 million in 1872 to

about 60 million in 1925• This was a challenged due to the high density in Japanese

islands

Japan’s Industrial Growth• Since emigration was cut off to places like the U.S, Japan had to

look for other ways to cope• They place great emphasis on manufacturing and foreign trade• It was hope that new factories and markets could provide

employment for the Japanese people• Japanese government controlled banks provided capital and

encouraged the expansion of heavy industry or manufacture of machinery and equipment needed for factories and mines• Industries important to national defence like steel and railroads

were owned by the government but most Japanese economy was owned by privately owned businesses known as “zaibatsu”

Zaibatsu• is a Japanese term referring to industrial and financial business

conglomerates in the Empire of Japan, whose influence and size allowed control over significant parts of the Japanese economy from the Meiji period until the end of World War II.• (Meiji - This period represents the first half of the Empire of

Japan during which Japanese society moved from being an isolated feudal society to its modern form.)• By definition, the zaibatsu were large family-controlled vertical

monopolies consisting of a holding company on top, with a wholly owned banking subsidiary providing finance, and several industrial subsidiaries dominating specific sectors of a market, either solely, or through a number of sub-subsidiary companies.

Examples of early zaibatsu

• The Big Four• Mitsubishi • Mitsui• Sumitomo• Yasuda

Japan’s Industrial Growth

• In 1920s and 1930s Japan’s industry grew rapidly and Japanese manufactured goods began to flood world markets• Increased manufacturing however, required new materials

and resources• Japan had very few mineral and natural resources and

therefore had to look for them at other places

Social and Political Changes

• Japan’s working class became more important due to industrialisation• Because of overpopulation, lands had to be subdivided among

farmers• Women in rural areas also found jobs in factories due to

economic expansion• Labour unions became more powerful and saw increased in

memberships• The growth of urban working class population produced

movements demanding for social changes

Social and Political Changes

• Intellectuals started organizing Socialist groups but these were met with police repressions• Urban middle class expanded as well in Japan• Western influences shaped the urban life• American music, dancing and sports became popular• Rising standards of living produced the need for better

education• With the growth of working and middle class, steps were

taken towards greater political democracy

Social and Political Changes

• In 1925, Japanese Parliament granted universal male suffrage and voters increased from 3 million to 14 million.• Japanese women however, did not receive the right to vote

until 1947.

Political Weaknesses

• However, democracy remained limited in Japan• Political power lay in the hands of nobles and industrialists• Japanese Emperor Hirohito was a constitutional monarch

but a powerful symbol of traditional authority• Behind the emperor was a group of influential military

leaders who were opposed to democratic reforms• The appeal of antidemocratic nationalists groups increased

in 1930s when Japanese economy deteriorated

Emperor Hirohito

Political Weaknesses

• A worldwide fall in prices caused by Great Depression devastated Japan’s silk industries and other industries• Millions of workers lost their jobs• Some went begging on the streets• In 1930, an assassin shot Prime Minister Osachi Hamaguchi• Many impoverished families looked to strong minded

military leaders for solutions.

Militarism and daily life

• In 1930s, militarism began to influence all aspects of Japanese life• Supporters of military programs opposed the spread of

Western lifestyles in Japan and favoured traditional Japanese ways• Military dress such as the samurai swords, appeal to

nationalist sentiments• Young children were made to carry out military drills in

schools and participated in parades

Military Expansion

• In 1931, Japanese military demonstrated just how powerful it had become• Without approval from the government army leaders

invaded northeastern region of China called Manchuria• In 5 months Japanese army had conquered Manchuria• The Japanese government could no longer control its army• The conquest of Manchuria was a clear sign of the plans of

the military to dominate Japanese government at home and expand Japanese influence abroad.

Military expansion

• Opposition to democratic government came from young military officers• Japanese from the rural background opposed the urban

luxuries of politicians and readily accepted the extremist ideas.• Extremist groups in the military used violence to bend the

government• In 1936 they organised an armed revolt against the

government• By early 1937, the army and the government had become

one and the same

Military expansion

• Many democratically minded Japanese hoped that Emperor Hirohito would stop the spread of militarism• The Emperor has a keen appreciation of Western ways• Palace advisors however, were worried that a strong stand

by the emperor would increase the military leaders extremism• They feared that the emperor would be removed and

monarchy would be abolished

Military expansion

• Japanese continued to rally support for their military leaders• With no powerful political leaders at home, Japanese

military looked forward to conquering all of Asia• Their dreams of a mighty Japanese empire like the dreams

of German and Italian leaders brought the world into the Second World War.

Asia for Asians Propaganda