The Japanese Meiji Restoration, which took place in 1868, is memorable as one of the major turning points in the country’s history. The Main causes that lead to The Meiji restoration are debated by Historians as they argue over their differing opinions. One of the major causes commonly shared however being the rise and fall of The Tokugawa Shogunate during the period of 1603-1868 before the Meiji period. Another cause being the outside pressure from foreigners convincing Japan that they needed to modernise quickly and finally the emergence of Japanese nationalism.
The first major causes that lead to the Meiji Restoration was the Tokugawa Shogunate beginning in 1603 and ending in 1868. This period being the final era of traditional Japanese …show more content…
This policy was known as the Sakoku foreign policy (Sakoku meaning ‘closed country’), this sealed Japan off from the rest of the world. The people of Japan were not allowed to travel overseas or return to Japan, and with the exception of the Dutch trading post on a small island called Deshima, Japan had no official trade connections with any Western nation. The Sakoku policy, thus implies the idea of total isolation from foreign contact and was used to justify Japan’s rejection of the West. Propelled by the Tokugawa Shogunate periods want for supreme power, political strength and most of all a unified nation, foreign influences thought to jeopardize Japan’s peace were removed However, not all ties were not actually completely severed with all nations. Japan kept a friendly diplomatic relationship with Korea through their many years of isolation, as well as commercial relations with both China and the Ryukyus (a chain of islands in Japan). In addition, not only did contact with other Asian nations continue, but Japan also communicated with Russia and the Netherlands during this time. While contact was limited, it had significant impact on …show more content…
This major cause being discussed by historians Professor Wylie and Yayori Takano again stating it began as In the Shogunate period Japan watched China get criticised and humiliated by the British for trying to prevent them from selling opium. Then, in July of 1853, United States commodore Matthew Perry sailed into Tokyo Bay with four, armed war ships and guns. He demanded that Japan open itself up for international trade. The Japanese had no weapons to match the American firepower, so the Tokugawa Shogunate realizing that resistance was impossible, and had no alternative but to sign the Kanagawa Treaty with the United States that was demanded by Perry in 1854. The government in power at the time, the Tokugawa Shogunate, was still against opening up their country. However the Tokugawa rulers were eventually overthrown when the last shogun resigned voluntarily, and the Meiji government took over. One of the leading factors in the decision to very rapidly Westernize the nation, in terms of technology and social factors such as clothing and cuisine, was to try to convince the Western powers that the Japanese were their equals. Japan were afraid of ending up in China’s situation, dominated and divided among various Western colonial powers. So, they encouraged the citizenry to adopt Western mannerisms as well
The first major causes that lead to the Meiji Restoration was the Tokugawa Shogunate beginning in 1603 and ending in 1868. This period being the final era of traditional Japanese …show more content…
This policy was known as the Sakoku foreign policy (Sakoku meaning ‘closed country’), this sealed Japan off from the rest of the world. The people of Japan were not allowed to travel overseas or return to Japan, and with the exception of the Dutch trading post on a small island called Deshima, Japan had no official trade connections with any Western nation. The Sakoku policy, thus implies the idea of total isolation from foreign contact and was used to justify Japan’s rejection of the West. Propelled by the Tokugawa Shogunate periods want for supreme power, political strength and most of all a unified nation, foreign influences thought to jeopardize Japan’s peace were removed However, not all ties were not actually completely severed with all nations. Japan kept a friendly diplomatic relationship with Korea through their many years of isolation, as well as commercial relations with both China and the Ryukyus (a chain of islands in Japan). In addition, not only did contact with other Asian nations continue, but Japan also communicated with Russia and the Netherlands during this time. While contact was limited, it had significant impact on …show more content…
This major cause being discussed by historians Professor Wylie and Yayori Takano again stating it began as In the Shogunate period Japan watched China get criticised and humiliated by the British for trying to prevent them from selling opium. Then, in July of 1853, United States commodore Matthew Perry sailed into Tokyo Bay with four, armed war ships and guns. He demanded that Japan open itself up for international trade. The Japanese had no weapons to match the American firepower, so the Tokugawa Shogunate realizing that resistance was impossible, and had no alternative but to sign the Kanagawa Treaty with the United States that was demanded by Perry in 1854. The government in power at the time, the Tokugawa Shogunate, was still against opening up their country. However the Tokugawa rulers were eventually overthrown when the last shogun resigned voluntarily, and the Meiji government took over. One of the leading factors in the decision to very rapidly Westernize the nation, in terms of technology and social factors such as clothing and cuisine, was to try to convince the Western powers that the Japanese were their equals. Japan were afraid of ending up in China’s situation, dominated and divided among various Western colonial powers. So, they encouraged the citizenry to adopt Western mannerisms as well