Changes During The Japanese Colonial Period

Superior Essays
Within the world history, the colonization of Japan ruling Korea only lasted for 35 years. During the colonial period, Japanese imperialism in Korea had a significant ambivalent impact towards many Koreans. This essay will compare and contrast the differences between the first ten and second ten years of Japanese colonial policy in Korea. This is because Korea experiences dramatically changes in their cultural, political and economic policy under the Japanese rules. The essay will then distinguish why Japan changed its policies during the colonial period and how the changes in these two decades were effective.
During the Meiji period, Japan has taken a huge leap into westernizing the country. The leap of Japan’s extensive westernization had outstandingly form an uprising position along with the Western power, establishing a stronger industrial world power. This transformation gave Japan a new global sense to render the ripe for colonization (Dudden, 2006). During the Meiji Restoration period, Japan always had plans to control Korea as a part of expanding the colonial empire. However, Korea was formerly seized in the eyes of the three dominant countries such as China, Russia, and Japan as a colony. In 1894-95, the Sino-Japanese War between Japan and China demonstrated Japan’s powerful military strength as Japan defeated China. The defeat of China essentially strengthened Japan’s position of the imperial powers. Despite the loss of China and its position with Korea, there was still Russian dominance in Korean which stopped Japanese from the establishment in Korea. This issue further led to a war between the Russian and Japanese called the Russo-Japanese War as Japan was determined to utterly take control of Korea. Because of the sustain military power of Japan and it supports from Britain, Japan was able to triumph Russia successfully , which broke diplomatic relation of Korea and Russia (Myers & Peattie, 1984). This resulted the Japan power to annexing a treaty with Korea assigning Korea as a colony of the Japanese empire. In 1907, the Japanese urgently demanded the current Korean Emperor Gojong to get off stage and abdicate his son, Sunjong. When Emperor Sunjong took over his father’s position, the Japan-Korea Treaty was immediately signed, resulting the Korean government no longer in control but instead under Japan’s command. This formalized gave the Japanese Resident-General the authority to take possession of Korea’s internal administration. By 1910, Japan effectively took action and annexed Korea as a colony (Green, 2013). This ended Korea 's independence and Japan is officially in control of Korea. During the first ten years of Japan 's colonial policy in Korea, there was a massive shift on Korea among the changes in the cultural, political and economic side. At the beginning of the colonization, the Japanese were awfully harsh to the Koreans. The government treated the Koreans as a group of downtrodden people with no culture respect towards the nation. Under Japanese imperialism, Koreans were striving to maintain their culture because Japan was constantly trying to deprive the Korean cultural identity. During the beginning of the colonial period, the Japanese government immediately took action on reforming the education system in order to eliminate the Korean national identity. The primary objective of the Japanese towards the education policy was to incorporate Koreans to learn Japanese without any discrimination. The Japanese took control of the Korean educational system and separated the Koreans from assessing any form of Korean language and history. Koreans were forced to acknowledge Japanese language and was required to surrender their Korean surnames into a Japanese one (Rhee, 1992). Moreover, Korean textbooks and newspapers were entirely banned and a majority of private
…show more content…
From the first decade to the second decade, the effectiveness of the two policies was highly neutral. The effectiveness was not an efficient uprising drift, as subsequently Korea was still under Japanese colonial. However, the changes from the two decades did slightly benefit a stronger pathway to the Korean independence as Korea was able to be recognized among the international politics. The changing policies converted an effective catalyst towards establishment more liberty. Regardless of the political and cultural issues in the second decade, it positively softened and reinforces less violent and

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Japan Dbq Analysis

    • 366 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The political revolution of the modernization stage allowed Japan to strengthen its internal government and external interests. Prior to Japan’s attempt to introduce an advanced government, the emperor overthrew the Shoguns and restored his supreme power, which is also known as the Meiji Restoration. Under the emperor’s reliable, centralized government, rather than numerous Shoguns, Japan united. The new government acted as the catalyst that emboldened Japan’s will to modernize and led a successful transition and transformation. Japanese envoys and scholars were sent to European nations, such as Germany, to “study the institutions of the civilized nations, adopt those most suited to Japan, and gradually reform” the government “to attain the status equal to that of the civilized nations.”…

    • 366 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    In the late 1890’s, Japanese workers were granted immigration to America. As time elapsed, the number of Japanese workers had increased. For America, this was the initiation of a prolonged and unsympathetic relationship with Japan. The American workers believed the Japanese immigrants were ruining economy for many reasons. One of them being, the Japanese “offer higher land prices and higher rents than the white man can pay for land.…

    • 958 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    38th Parallel Analysis

    • 1797 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The war that raged in Korea between 1950 and 1953 did not begin as a huge international conflict during the Cold War, but would eventually become that once the United States and other countries decided to get involved in the Korean Civil War (Office of the Historian). Korea, throughout its history, was owned by other countries. From 1910 until the end of World War II, Japan had control and influence of Korea as a whole. Because Japan was on the losing side of World War II, the future of Korea was in the hands of the Allies (Great Britain, Russia, and the United States were the major three). It was decided that with the surrender of the Japanese in Korea, the Soviet Union would accept the surrender above the 38th Parallel (a latitudinal line that crosses through Korea), while the United States would accept below the 38th Parallel.…

    • 1797 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Introduction Fukoku-Kyōhei, meaning “enrich the country and strengthen the military” quickly became the motto for a reinvigorated Japan stepping onto the global stage commanded by the West, while also acting as the mold for which they would inevitably fit through their rather abrupt transformation: The Meiji Restoration (Christensen 1). What may have ultimately began as an endeavor to modernize, may have also become the trigger for exponential societal change and an undertaking that would eventually boast Japan’s military confidence and induce drastic social change. The Meiji Restoration had significant rippling effects around the world during the late 1800’s and allowed Japan to become recognized as an influential world power, but also an…

    • 289 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Korea was divided into two parts, a communist North assisted by the Soviet Union, and a non-communist South assisted by the United States. In November of 1950, communist North Korea attack South Korea, an American ally. US joined to drive North Korea back. North Korea supported China and Soviet Union. It ended and started at 38th parallel.(Doc C, Map) Korea was a great example of containment because US kept communism and Soviet influence from spreading into South…

    • 278 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Past failures from venturing into unfamiliar territories may deter individuals from trying new things in the future, impeding personal growth and limiting opportunities for advancement. This is once again seen in Japan, however, this time in the 1800s era. Japan had implemented an isolation policy out of concern that outsiders, such as the Europeans they had encountered previously, would westernize their culture, take away their current authority, and repeat past patterns. However, this isolation policy hurt them greatly, as during this time, they were unable to participate in international commerce, during the rapid increase of industrialization in which global commerce became the primary way of economic power and prosperity. The trauma from Japan’s interaction with the Europeans had caused the Japanese to completely cut off newer opportunities in trade, which would be important to allow themselves to gain authority in the world’s economy and have a more developed civilization.…

    • 711 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Kim Yu-jong wrote his stories in the 1930s when Korea was colonized by Japan. During the colonial period, Japan substantially proceeded colonial predatory behavior and destroyed the former social structure of Korea by advocating capitalism. Moreover, Japan forced Korean to speak in Japanese and even forced them to use Japanese names. Kim Yu-jong’s…

    • 1038 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Such as how it affected the Korean community and what lasting effects this event had on the Korean population. Many of the interviews had clever socio-historical analysis bringing up these problem and giving them a human face, meaning putting matters into the minds of the readers. With this it clarifies the historical, political, and economic factors that render them in the lives and voices of Korean Americans. Many more questions come within reading this book. Why did the Koreans come to the United States many ask?…

    • 506 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Japan's Steel Imperialism

    • 377 Words
    • 2 Pages

    19 February 1942. A total of 365 days have passed since the Japanese bombing of Darwin. Our now heavily populated thriving city of Townsville has transformed drastically from our once only main hub of Flinders Street. Many of us repeatedly question the Japanese and their motives behind their desire to bomb our golden country. Without a doubt, Japan has one of the strongest and loyal approaches to imperialism.…

    • 377 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    II Naosuke Memo Analysis

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages

    During the 1850’s the pacific world began to feel immense pressure from the west, as they began to surpass them through the construction of war ships and other resources. In a desperate attempt to preserve their cultural values and pride, four patriotic men decided to voice their opinions on how to better their home country. Tokugawa Nariaki and Ii Naosuke were advocates for Japan, while Feng Guifen and Woren were citizens of China. Although each one made excellent points on ways to benefit the country, I believe that Ii Naosuke made the most persuasive and strong argument. I believe that Ii Naosuke made the most convincing proposal out of all four authors by providing a scenario, plan of action, and a future goal.…

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    President Woodrow Wilson made a declaration of war in April 1917. This declaration was reported worldwide under the pronouncement that it would make the world "safe for democracy", ultimately leading to the Fourteen Points, and the United States' vision for the post-war world. The Fourteen Points, and the promises within helped bring the Germans to "peace talks" post-war. Manela - Ch. 6 Ch.…

    • 357 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    During the 19th century both China and Japan witnessed a western penetration. Most of this came from Europe but some also came from the United States. In China the western penetration came mostly from Europe due to Europe wanting new goods that they could not find anywhere else then China. On the other hand Japans western penetration came mostly from the United States after being closed off from the rest of the world for many years. Even though both China and Japan were affected by western penetration they had many different experiences but they both also had some of the same experiences.…

    • 908 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Introduction Japan, in the nineteenth century, has gone through much reform. Prior to the Meiji Period, much of what the citizens knew was based around farming and agriculture . Japan had not yet explored trade with other countries, aside from China, which happened during the Taika Reform. The Taika Reform, happening in mid-sixth century, “opened Japan to the incorporation of new ideas and institutions from China .” Many scholars associate the Meiji Reform to the Taika Reform, although the Taika Reform was thought out, and carefully executed .…

    • 1855 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    The Eastern Asian nations ruled with great force for many centuries with isolationistic tendencies; they believed that their way of governing was without issue and did not need reform. The isolation was seen as a proper reaction to the Asian populations but was not seen as rationale reaction to the Western and outside forces. The two different populations did not agree on the ideas of expansion on trade and introducing new traditions and cultures. China and Japan had similarities in relation to each other’s rulings and cultures before the pressures of the Western nations but reacted in a different manner. Japan reacted to imperialism with at first disagreement but eventually began to comply with new ideas; they progressed and modernized.…

    • 1496 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Japanese “ruled Korea with an iron fist with highly centralized corps of military police and gendarmes. The rule was very…

    • 1083 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays