The Meiji period is one of the four periods in modern Japanese history which was symbolized by the most radical changes in all spheres of public life, namely political, social, and economic. Rather than suffer a similar fate, some of Japan's elites sought to close the doors even tighter against foreign influence, but the more foresighted began to plan a modernization drive. During the Iwakura mission, Japan brought back many ideas on how to modernize their country. What Was the Meiji Restoration? They were allowed to move freely and sell their products anywhere. How did the Meiji Restoration change Japan? The perpetrators announced the ouster of Tokugawa Yoshinobu (the last shogun)—who by late 1867 was no longer effectively in power—and proclaimed the young emperor to be the ruler of the Japan. She has taught at the high school and university levels in the U.S. and South Korea. While modern Japan and the Orthodox have worked together to maintain the country’s traditional and cultural sensitivity, they have cooperated with modernization in order to promote the advancement of their country. The three major sources of Western music in Japan were the church, the schools, and the military.…. Adopting the slogan “Enrich the country, strengthen the army” (Fukoku kyōhei), they sought to create a nation-state capable of standing equal among Western powers. Through him, they felt that they could more effectively meet the foreign threat. The Meiji Program of Economic Development. (2020, August 26). The reformers sought to bring far-reaching changes to Japanese society. Consequently, Tokugawa shôgun who ruled Japan in the feudal period was deposed and the emperor was restored to the supreme position. Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Japan underwent a vast array of changes after the Meiji Restoration. They felt that it was important to have a strong Emperor at the center of Japan's political organization to project Japanese power and fend off Western imperialism. Commodore Matthew Perry’s arrival at Edo Bay (Tokyo was once named Edo) in 1853 demonstrated to Japan the superior military power of the West. Japan would go on to ever greater power in East Asia until the tides turned against it in World War II. Japan's economic powers are a major influence on the industrial factor of its country as well. The Meiji Era: The Meiji Period would last from 1868 until 1912. On Nov. 19, 1867, Tokugawa Yoshinobu resigned his post as the fifteenth Tokugawa shogun. Dr. Kallie Szczepanski is a history teacher specializing in Asian history and culture. Meiji Restoration, in Japanese history, the political revolution in 1868 that brought about the final demise of the Tokugawa shogunate (military government)—thus ending the Edo (Tokugawa) period (1603–1867)—and, at least nominally, returned control of the country to direct imperial rule under Mutsuhito (the emperor Meiji). These changes took place mainly in the three years from 1866 to 1869, at the beginning of the Meiji period. Meiji Restoration, in Japanese history, the political revolution in 1868 that brought about the final demise of the Tokugawa shogunate (military government) - thus ending the Edo (Tokugawa) period (1603-1867) - and, at least nominally, returned control of the country to direct imperial rule under Mutsuhito (the emperor Meiji). The Meiji emperor proclaiming the Meiji Constitution in 1889. Rather than a clash between modern and traditional methods, or between Western and Japanese practices, says Ravina, it was the result of a struggle to bridge those dichotomies and create new institutions that could evoke both Japanese uniqueness and Western progress. The first action, taken in 1868 while the country was still unsettled, was to relocate the imperial capital from Kyōto to the shogunal capital of Edo, which was renamed Tokyo (“eastern capital”). The Meiji era (明治, Meiji, Japanese pronunciation: [meꜜː(d)ʑi]) is an era of Japanese history which extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. His resignation officially transferred power to the young emperor, but the shogun wouldn't give up actual control of Japan so easily. Agriculture in Japan also faced new changes during the Meiji Period. Peasants, distrustful of the new regime and dissatisfied with its agrarian policies, also took part in revolts that reached their peak in the 1880s. After Japan’s Meiji Restoration of 1868, Japan changed forever. Finally in 1889 the Meiji Constitution, presented as a gift from the emperor to the people, was officially promulgated. Japan’s empire grew immensely thanks to the nation’s modernized military. However, it should be noted that clothing did not change significantly for the majority of Japanese. The Meiji Restoration was a political and social revolution in Japan from 1866 to 1869 that ended the power of the Tokugawa shogun and returned the Emperor to a central position in Japanese politics and culture. The Meiji Restoration : Change And Domitarianism In Japan 1119 Words | 5 Pages. At the time a global political transformation was underway, involving the rise of nationalism and nation-states. Those efforts at modernization required Western science and technology, and under the banner of “Civilization and Enlightenment” (Bunmei kaika), Western culture, from current intellectual trends to clothing and architecture, was widely promoted. The unequal treaties that had granted foreign powers judicial and economic privileges through extraterritoriality were revised in 1894, and with the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902 and its victory in two wars (over China in 1894–95 and Russia in 1904–05), Japan gained respect in the eyes of the Western world, appearing for the first time on the international scene as a major world power. ...The Meiji Restoration was a significant turning point in Japanese history because it led to revolutionary changes in Japan’s economic and political structures. The Meiji Restoration was a time for change and life of women was changing. How did Japan change course in the late 1800s? Economic and social changes paralleled the political transformation of the Meiji period. While many upper-class Japanese did occasionally wear Western suits and dresses, most preferred the kimono. Also in 1871 a national army was formed, which was further strengthened two years later by a universal conscription law. The death of the emperor Meiji in 1912 marked the end of the period, although several of the important Meiji leaders carried on as elder statesmen (genro) in the new regime (1912–26) of the Taishō emperor. Such was the case in the development of a modern educational system that, though influenced by Western theory and practice, stressed the traditional values of samurai loyalty and social harmony. Education, social class, and women’s roles changed drastically when Japan began to modernize. The reforms enacted during the Meiji emperor’s rule brought about the modernization and Westernization of the country and paved the way for Japan to become a major international power. Japan underwent many changes after the Meiji Restoration. Historian Mark Ravina has suggested that the leaders who created the events of 1866–69 did not do so only to emulate Western practices but also to restore and revive older Japanese institutions. Japan was well on its way to becoming a modern industrialized country. "What Was the Meiji Restoration?" All feudal class privileges were abolished as well. Politically, the shogun (military general, who was the real leader of Japan) was dissolved and replaced with the current diet (a parliamentary assembly). The Meiji period that followed the Restoration was an era of major political, economic, and social change in Japan. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. With this change came a 3% land tax imposed on the farmers. 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