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
...
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