Meiji

Yamagata Aritomo

Prime Minister and father of Japanese militarism

Russo-Japanese War

Russia vs Japan over Korea and Manchuria; ended by Portsmouth Treaty; Japan wins

Okubo Toshimichi

Satsuma; led Meiji restoration; brought down Saigo Takamori (he was his best friend)

Saigo Takamori

Satsuma; thought Meiji government was corrupt; wanted to attack Korea so that samurai would have a place; hated universal conscription; led Meiji restoration; LAST samurai

Fukuzawa Yukichi

"bunmei" culture/civilization; endorses social Darwinism: primitive, semi-developed, civilized; traveled to the west more than any other Japanese

shingeki

"new drama;" retelling of Western theater

fukoku kyohei

"rich nation, strong military"

Charter Oath

(1) "Deliberative assemblies shall be established on an extensive scale, and all governmental matters shall be determined by public discussion." (2) "All classes, high and low, shall unite to carry out vigorously the plan of government." (3) "All classes shall be permitted to fulfill their just aspirations so that there will be no discontent." (4) "Evil customs of the past shall be discontinued, and new customs shall be based on the just laws of nature." (5) "Knowledge shall be sought throughout the world in order to promote the welfare of the empire."

kokka

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Satsuma Rebellion

1877 - Saigo Takamori was not satisfied with the position of the satsuma in the government; Satsuma loses because they cannot compete with the court's forces and technology (guns)

Treaty of Shimonoseki

1895 - ended Sino-Japanese War; ceded claims of Korea, Taiwan, Pescador islands, and Liaodong peninsula

Portsmouth Treaty

1905 - ended Russo-Japanese War; gave Japan rights to parts of Korea, expansion into Manchuria, and the southern half of Sakhalin

Sino-Japanese War

China vs Japan over Korea; ended by Treaty of Shimoneki; Japan wins

Itō Hirobumi

Choshu; first Prime Minister and Prime Minister 3 subsequent times after; killed in Korea

Kido Koin

Choshu; led Meiji restoration and becomes statesman; went on Iwakura mission and wrote charter oath

Mori Ogai

Dancing Girl; wrote first person, Western narratives

Meiji Constitution

Emperor = all powerful sovereign governor of the state

Natsuma Soseki

author suspicious of the pace of civilization; critiques modernization as having occurred too quickly/unnaturally

universal conscription

compulsory enlistment of males in military service; angered Choshu and Satsuma

Okuma Shigenobu

foreign affairs during restoration; 5th Prime Minister; in charge of tax system

seiyukai

mediates between cabinet and oligarchs; splits due to Taisho political crisis

genro

oligarchs

political parties

politicians in the lower houses who have contrasting ideas; modern

zaibatsu

privatized companies

cabinet system

privy council legislature (diet) -house of peers -house of representatives

Iwakura Mission

sending Japanese to study throughout the world

Meiji restoration

the restoration of the emperor, return to imperial power;

genbun itchi

the unification of writing and speech

Ishikawa Tatsuma

wrote Soldiers Alive, published in 1945