The Meiji Restoration in Japan-History

The Meiji Restoration

Introduction

The Meiji Ishin, Renewal, Reform or restoration, as also other names of the Meiji Restoration, refers to chains of events that were a conduit to the imperialism kind of ruling tin Japan and which started in the year 1868. The rule was affected under the reign of Emperor Meiji. The government that was restored has various aims that were expressed in the Charter Oath by the emperor. As a result of this restoration, there were a lot of shifts and changes to the Japan’s social and political structures which were exhibited across the Endo period up to the beginning of the period that was referred to as the Meiji period. The Meiji period lasted from 1868 -1912. Through this period, there was the emergence of more modernized Japan early in the twentieth century.

Japan was controlled by Shogunate, where the emperor was the titular head. The Shogun gained power through the military and during that reign, there was a society that was feudal. The military control of Japan and a take over from the Shoguns made Japan more peaceful. Commander Mathew Perry is the one who shattered the power base of the Shogun in the year 1854, eliciting the signing of an agreement between Japan and the United States of America. Meiji Restoration was commenced in the year 1868 January after the abolishment of Tokugawa Shogunate. This was after the incumbent Shogun resigned.

Argument claim

There have been various arguments concerning whether the Meiji Restoration had positive or negative impacts on the Japan community. There were a lot of gains from the Meiji Restoration as well as some substantial losses. As a result of the Meiji Restoration, Japan had an acceleration of modernization and industrialization. Japan experienced a rise in its military power during this period. This was facilitated by a slogan that was then in Japan that focused mainly on enriching the country and strengthening the military.

There were several measures that were introduced by the Meiji Oligarchs after the formation of their government. The emperor introduces a lot of measures including that of power consolidation in order to stand against those remnants of the period of Endo government, samurai class, daimyo and the shogunate. The lands of Tokugawa were seized in the year 1868 and were placed under the Meiji government prerogative. Later in the year 1869, the daimyo of Hizen, Tosa, Chochu domains and the Satsuma were fiercely pushing against the rule of the shogunate but were eventually persuaded and they returned all the domains in their possession to the Emperor. The other daimyo were also persuaded with time and for the first time direct were manifested through the Japan’s central government. This was after the Meiji government’s realization of the fact that protecting the sovereignty of Japan depended on the change of the government’s direction and by abandoning the feudalism policies that existed and ensuring that the daimyo are united under the central government of Japan. Japan eventually adopted the economic and political structures, technology and the social customs of the Western countries.

The new Meiji government held onto the belief that in order to modernize the economy of Japan, there was need for westernization. The government believed that this would rebuild and strengthen the Japan army just as that of the America, Russia, and Great Britain among others. Japans modernization path began with a series of various transformations in the politics and economic areas. The country’s economic and military strength increased as was in the country’s slogan. Japan industrialized its economy in order to modernize the entire military. The infrastructure of Japan was improved by the government as there was building and development of the telegraph lines, railways, shipping routes that connected ports and domestic cities among other infrastructure. Through the effort of the Meiji government, Japan’s heavy industries were raised to life. This saw the development, establishment and the advancement of the bricks and cement plants, steel and iron works, coal mining and textile industries. The military was modernized as a result of the production of armaments and canons from forged iron. The Meiji reign demonstrated its ability to bring about improvements in the economy of Japan and even beyond to the political sphere which was also under restoration process.

In the period of Meiji Restoration, there was the return of various students who had gone out to the Iwakura mission in the year 1871. These students returned to Japan with fresh and new political and economic ideas. The Iwakura mission led to the derivation of new political structures that shaped the structure and operations of the Meiji government. There was an agreement between the government and Osaka, in which there was a provision for the establishment of the senate and the Supreme Court. However, this provision was unsuccessful. The Osaka agreement was instrumental in the establishment of the elected assemblies where taxpaying individuals could gather and discuss the issues relating to finances. This was the pioneer assembly that was elected in the East. The Meiji constitution was authorized in which there were provisions for a parliament system that was bicameral. There was the enshrinement of the right to publication, religion and speech.

The losses

During the Meiji restoration period, many people thought that the government was constituted by a lot of bureaucracy in the employment areas. The elite class had their rights that were more than those of the other classes. During that period, the samurai got access to education easily than the other people, hence becoming the more educated in Japan. They therefore occupied positions in the military, government offices, gun making industry, teaching profession among others. This to others was discrimination. The land reforms that were introduced by the oligarchs were favoring to the elite class but harassing and disadvantaging the other people. This was seen to be discriminating to the general public as others got richer and richer while the common people wallowed in poverty.

Conclusion

In the Meiji Restoration period, westernization played a major role in the changes and improvements in country. The military and economic development of Japan can be attributed to westernization in the Meiji period which eventually led to the victory of Japan in both the Russo- Japanese and Sino- Japanese wars. The Meiji Restoration offered a turning point for Japan, making it dominant in the 20^thcentury. In the history of Japan, the Meiji Restoration is hailed for the development that took place in the country both in the economic and political areas. This restoration period positioned Japan to be an arguable a powerful Asian nation presently. The restoration period undisputedly has impacts on Japan not only in the 19^th century period but even presently. However, the period also had a number of losses.