Japan - Imperialism, Shoguns, Feudalism

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class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <main> <div class="md-page-wrapper"> <div id="content" class="md-content"> <div class="md-article-container template-desktop infinite-pagination"> <div class="infinite-scroll-container article last"> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content md-expanded" data-topic-id="300531"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan">Japan</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/place/Japan">Introduction & Quick Facts</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref23230"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan#ref23230">Land</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23231"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan#ref23231">Relief</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23232"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Geologic-framework">Geologic framework</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23233"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Geologic-framework#ref23233">The major physiographic regions</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23234"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Geologic-framework#ref23234">Drainage and soils</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23235"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Geologic-framework#ref23235">Drainage</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23236"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Soils">Soils</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23237"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Soils#ref23237">Climate</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23238"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Soils#ref23238">Temperature</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23239"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Soils#ref23239">Precipitation</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23240"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Soils#ref23240">Plant and animal life</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23241"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Soils#ref23241">Flora</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23242"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Soils#ref23242">Fauna</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23243"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Soils#ref23243">The environment</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref23248"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/People">People</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23249"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/People#ref23249">Ethnic groups</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23251"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/People#ref23251">Languages</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23252"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Religion">Religion</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref282061"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Religion#ref282061">Settlement patterns</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref282062"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Religion#ref282062">Traditional regions</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref282063"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Religion#ref282063">Rural settlement</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref282064"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Religion#ref282064">Urban settlement</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23253"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Demographic-trends">Demographic trends</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref23254"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Demographic-trends#ref23254">Economy</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23255"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Demographic-trends#ref23255">General considerations</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref282051"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Demographic-trends#ref282051">Background</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23256"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-role-of-government">The role of government</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23263"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-role-of-government#ref23263">Agriculture, forestry, and fishing</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23264"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-role-of-government#ref23264">Agriculture</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref282052"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-role-of-government#ref282052">Forestry and fishing</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23259"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Resources-and-power">Resources and power</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23260"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Resources-and-power#ref23260">Minerals</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23267"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Resources-and-power#ref23267">Mining and quarrying</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23268"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Resources-and-power#ref23268">Power</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23269"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Resources-and-power#ref23269">Manufacturing</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23270"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Finance">Finance</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23271"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Finance#ref23271">Banking</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23272"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Finance#ref23272">Securities</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23273"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Trade">Trade</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23274" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Trade#ref23274">External trade</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23275"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Trade#ref23275">Exports</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23276"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Trade#ref23276">Imports</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23277"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Trade#ref23277">Internal trade</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref282053"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Trade#ref282053">Labor and taxation</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23258"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Trade#ref23258">Trade unions and employers’ associations</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23257"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Trade#ref23257">Taxation</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23278"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Trade#ref23278">Transportation and telecommunications</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23279"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Trade#ref23279">Roads</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23280"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Railways">Railways</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23281"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Railways#ref23281">Port facilities</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23282"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Railways#ref23282">Air transport</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23283"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Railways#ref23283">Telecommunications</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref23284"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Government-and-society">Government and society</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23286"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Government-and-society#ref23286">Constitutional framework</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23287"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Government-and-society#ref23287">Local government</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23291"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Government-and-society#ref23291">Justice</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23288"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Government-and-society#ref23288">Political process</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23289"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Government-and-society#ref23289">Elections</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23290"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-parties">Political parties</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23292"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-parties#ref23292">Security</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23293"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-parties#ref23293">Armed forces</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23294"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-parties#ref23294">Police</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23301"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-parties#ref23301">Health and welfare</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23302"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-parties#ref23302">Health</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23303"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-parties#ref23303">Welfare</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23304"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-parties#ref23304">Housing</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23295"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-parties#ref23295">Education</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23296"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Development-of-the-modern-system">Development of the modern system</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23297" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Development-of-the-modern-system#ref23297">System organization</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23298"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Development-of-the-modern-system#ref23298">Primary and secondary education</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23299"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Development-of-the-modern-system#ref23299">Higher education</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23300"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Development-of-the-modern-system#ref23300">Continuing education</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref23305"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Cultural-life">Cultural life</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23306"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Cultural-life#ref23306">Cultural milieu</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23307"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Cultural-life#ref23307">Influences</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23308"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Cultural-life#ref23308">Aesthetics</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23309"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-arts">The arts</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23310"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-arts#ref23310">Traditional forms</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23311"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-arts#ref23311">Western forms</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23312"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-arts#ref23312">Cultural institutions</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23316"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Daily-life-and-social-customs">Daily life and social customs</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23317"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Daily-life-and-social-customs#ref23317">Popular culture</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref282059"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Daily-life-and-social-customs#ref282059">Cuisine</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23318"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Daily-life-and-social-customs#ref23318">Social customs</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23319"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Daily-life-and-social-customs#ref23319">Sports and recreation</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23313"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Media-and-publishing">Media and publishing</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref282060"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Media-and-publishing#ref282060">Books and magazines</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23314"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Media-and-publishing#ref23314">The press</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23315"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Media-and-publishing#ref23315">Radio and television</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref214442"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/History">History</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23117"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/History#ref23117">Ancient Japan to 1185</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23118" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/History#ref23118">Prehistoric Japan</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23119"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/History#ref23119">Pre-Ceramic culture</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23120"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/History#ref23120">Jōmon culture (c. 10,500 to c. 300 <span class="text-smallcaps">bce</span>)</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23121"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Yayoi-period-c-300-bce-c-250-ce">The Yayoi period (c. 300 <span class="text-smallcaps">bce</span>–c. 250 <span class="text-smallcaps">ce</span>)</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23122"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Yayoi-period-c-300-bce-c-250-ce#ref23122">Chinese chronicles</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23123" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Yayoi-period-c-300-bce-c-250-ce#ref23123">The Tumulus (Tomb) period (c. 250–552)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23124"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Yayoi-period-c-300-bce-c-250-ce#ref23124">The unification of the nation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23125"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Yayoi-period-c-300-bce-c-250-ce#ref23125">The Yamato court</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23126"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Rise-and-expansion-of-Yamato">Rise and expansion of Yamato</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23127"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Rise-and-expansion-of-Yamato#ref23127">The Yamato polity</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23128"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Rise-and-expansion-of-Yamato#ref23128">Yamato relations with Korean states</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23129"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Yamato-decline-and-the-introduction-of-Buddhism">Yamato decline and the introduction of Buddhism</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23130" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Yamato-decline-and-the-introduction-of-Buddhism#ref23130">The age of reform (552–710)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23131"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Yamato-decline-and-the-introduction-of-Buddhism#ref23131">The idealized government of Prince Shōtoku</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23132"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Taika-reforms">The Taika reforms</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23133"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Taika-reforms#ref23133">The <em><strong>ritsuryō</strong></em> system</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23134" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Nara-period-710-784">The Nara period (710–784)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23135"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Nara-period-710-784#ref23135">Beginning of the imperial state</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23136"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Nara-period-710-784#ref23136">Culture in the Nara period</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23137" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Heian-period-794-1185">The Heian period (794–1185)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23138"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Heian-period-794-1185#ref23138">Changes in ritsuryō government</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23139"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Heian-period-794-1185#ref23139">Aristocratic government at its peak</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23140"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Government-by-cloistered-emperors">Government by cloistered emperors</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23141"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Government-by-cloistered-emperors#ref23141">The rise of the warrior class</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23142"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Medieval-Japan">Medieval Japan</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23143" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Medieval-Japan#ref23143">The Kamakura period (1192–1333)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23144"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Medieval-Japan#ref23144">The establishment of warrior government</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23145"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Medieval-Japan#ref23145">The Hōjō regency</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23146"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Medieval-Japan#ref23146">The Mongol invasions</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23147"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Samurai-groups-and-farming-villages">Samurai groups and farming villages</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23148"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Samurai-groups-and-farming-villages#ref23148">Kamakura culture: the new Buddhism and its influence</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23149"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Samurai-groups-and-farming-villages#ref23149">Decline of Kamakura society</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23150" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Muromachi-or-Ashikaga-period-1338-1573">The Muromachi (or Ashikaga) period (1338–1573)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23151"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Muromachi-or-Ashikaga-period-1338-1573#ref23151">The Kemmu Restoration and the dual dynasties</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23152"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Muromachi-or-Ashikaga-period-1338-1573#ref23152">The establishment of the Muromachi <em>bakufu</em></a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23153"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Muromachi-or-Ashikaga-period-1338-1573#ref23153">Muromachi government structure</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23154"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Muromachi-or-Ashikaga-period-1338-1573#ref23154">The growth of local autonomy</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23155"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Muromachi-or-Ashikaga-period-1338-1573#ref23155">Trade between China and Japan</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23156"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Onin-War-1467-77">The Ōnin War (1467–77)</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23157"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Onin-War-1467-77#ref23157">The Sengoku (“Warring States”) period</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23158"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Onin-War-1467-77#ref23158">The emergence of new forces.</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23159"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Onin-War-1467-77#ref23159">The arrival of the Europeans</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23160"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-establishment-of-warrior-culture">The establishment of warrior culture</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23161"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Early-modern-Japan-1550-1850">Early modern Japan (1550–1850)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23162" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Early-modern-Japan-1550-1850#ref23162">Unification</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23163"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Early-modern-Japan-1550-1850#ref23163">The Oda regime</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23164"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Early-modern-Japan-1550-1850#ref23164">The Hideyoshi regime</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23165"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Early-modern-Japan-1550-1850#ref23165">Azuchi-Momoyama culture</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23166" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-bakuhan-system">The bakuhan system</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23167"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-bakuhan-system#ref23167">The establishment of the system</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23168"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-bakuhan-system#ref23168">The enforcement of national seclusion</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23169"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Tokugawa-status-system">The Tokugawa status system</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23170"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Tokugawa-status-system#ref23170">Commerce, cities, and culture</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23171" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-Tokugawa-status-system#ref23171">The weakening of the <em>bakuhan</em> system</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23172"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-reform-in-the-bakufu-and-the-han">Political reform in the <em>bakufu</em> and the <em>han</em></a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23173"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-reform-in-the-bakufu-and-the-han#ref23173">The growth of the northern problem</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23174"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-reform-in-the-bakufu-and-the-han#ref23174">New learning and thought</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23175"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-reform-in-the-bakufu-and-the-han#ref23175">Heterodox Confucian schools</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23176"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Shinto-and-kokugaku">Shintō and <em>kokugaku</em></a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23177"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Shinto-and-kokugaku#ref23177">Western studies</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23178"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Shinto-and-kokugaku#ref23178">Growth of popular knowledge</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23179"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Religious-attitudes">Religious attitudes</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23180"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Religious-attitudes#ref23180">The maturity of Edo culture</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23181" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Religious-attitudes#ref23181">The last years of the <em>bakuhan</em></a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23182"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Religious-attitudes#ref23182">The Tempō reforms</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23183"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-opening-of-Japan">The opening of Japan</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref23184"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-opening-of-Japan#ref23184">Japan from 1850 to 1945</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23185" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-opening-of-Japan#ref23185">The Meiji restoration</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23186"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-fall-of-the-Tokugawa">The fall of the Tokugawa</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23187"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-fall-of-the-Tokugawa#ref23187">From feudal to modern state</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23188"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-fall-of-the-Tokugawa#ref23188">Abolition of feudalism</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23189"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-fall-of-the-Tokugawa#ref23189">Constitutional movement</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23190" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-emergence-of-imperial-Japan">The emergence of imperial Japan</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23191"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-emergence-of-imperial-Japan#ref23191">Foreign affairs</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23192"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-emergence-of-imperial-Japan#ref23192">The Sino-Japanese War</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23193"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-emergence-of-imperial-Japan#ref23193">The Russo-Japanese War</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23194"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Japanese-expansionism">Japanese expansionism</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23195"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Japanese-expansionism#ref23195">Constitutional government</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23196"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Japanese-expansionism#ref23196">Social change</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23197" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-rise-of-the-militarists">The rise of the militarists</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23198"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-rise-of-the-militarists#ref23198">The weakening of party government</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23199"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-rise-of-the-militarists#ref23199">Aggression in Manchuria</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23200"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-road-to-World-War-II">The road to World War II</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23201"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-road-to-World-War-II#ref23201">Events in China</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23202"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/The-road-to-World-War-II#ref23202">Foreign relations</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23203" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/World-War-II-and-defeat">World War II and defeat</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23204"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/World-War-II-and-defeat#ref23204">Prologue to war</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23205"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/World-War-II-and-defeat#ref23205">Early successes</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23206"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/World-War-II-and-defeat#ref23206">Japan on the defensive</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23207"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/World-War-II-and-defeat#ref23207">The end of the war</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref236922"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Japan-since-1945">Japan since 1945</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23208" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Japan-since-1945#ref23208">The early 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link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Japan-since-1945#ref23214">The era of rapid growth</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23215"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Economic-transformation">Economic transformation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23216"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Economic-transformation#ref23216">Social change</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23217"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Economic-transformation#ref23217">Political developments</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref23218"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/International-relations">International relations</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref23219" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/International-relations#ref23219">The late 20th and early 21st centuries</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23220"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/International-relations#ref23220">Economic change</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23221"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-developments">Political developments</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23222"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-developments#ref23222">Social change</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref23223"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Japan/Political-developments#ref23223">International relations</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref276895"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" 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Author of <i>Structure of Power in the Edo Shogunate.</i></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Kitajima Masamoto</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Yasuo-Masai/1925" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Yasuo Masai</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Professor of Geography, Rissho University, Tokyo. Editor of <em>Atlas Tokyo.</em></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Yasuo Masai</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-29T00:00:00CST" >Nov 29, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm 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js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/300531/ef6894f3dc08948deeb7135c1b316b56" rel="nofollow">Embattled Japan leader vows to cooperate with long-ignored opposition in bid to save his government</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 29, 2024, 1:44 AM ET (AP) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/300531/932f970544b216da249e33d8c0491ac8" rel="nofollow">Stock market today: Wall Street hits records despite tariff talk</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 26, 2024, 5:34 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/300531/c58b6bd86941f916bb5fb873c645c519" rel="nofollow">The engine of Japan's flagship new small rocket explodes during a test for a second time</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 26, 2024, 8:28 AM ET (AP) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/300531/fdbe52e496877317718e0bc5deaff858" rel="nofollow">South Korea holds memorial for forced laborers in Japan after boycotting Japanese event</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 26, 2024, 12:00 AM ET (AP) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="3" id="ref23190">  <section data-level="4" id="ref23191"> <h2 class="h4">Foreign affairs</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="2054" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/94/1794-050-C744EEFC/expansion-Japanese.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/300531/2054"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/94/1794-050-C744EEFC/expansion-Japanese.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/94/1794-050-C744EEFC/expansion-Japanese.jpg?w=300" alt="Japanese expansion" data-width="1637" data-height="2000" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/94/1794-050-C744EEFC/expansion-Japanese.jpg" data-href="/media/1/300531/2054">Japanese expansion</a><span>Japanese expansion in the late 19th and 20th centuries.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Achieving equality with the West was one of the primary goals of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Meiji" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Meiji</a> leaders. Treaty reform, designed to end the foreigners’ judicial and economic privileges provided by extraterritoriality and fixed customs duties was sought as early as 1871 when the Iwakura mission went to the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">United States</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Europe" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Europe</a>. The Western powers insisted, however, that they could not revise the treaties until Japanese legal institutions were reformed along European and American lines. Efforts to reach a compromise settlement in the 1880s were rejected by the press and opposition groups in Japan. It was not until 1894, therefore, that treaty <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="provisions" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/provisions" data-type="EB">provisions</a> for extraterritoriality were formally changed.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">During the first half of the Meiji period, Asian relations were seen as less important than domestic development. In 1874 a punitive expedition was launched against Formosa (<span id="ref319657"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Taiwan" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Taiwan</a>) to <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="chastise" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chastise" data-type="MW">chastise</a> the aborigines for murdering Ryukyuan fishermen. This lent support to Japanese claims to the <span id="ref319658"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Ryukyu-Islands" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ryukyu Islands</a>, which had been under <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Satsuma" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Satsuma</a> influence in Tokugawa times. Despite Chinese protests, the Ryukyus were incorporated into Japan in 1879. Meanwhile, calls for an aggressive <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/foreign-policy" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">foreign policy</a> in Korea, aired by Japanese nationalists and some liberals, were steadily rejected by the Meiji leaders. At the same time, <span id="ref1173754"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/China" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">China</a> became increasingly concerned about expanding Japanese influence in <span id="ref319659"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Korea" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Korea</a>, which China still viewed as a tributary state. Incidents on the peninsula in 1882 and 1884 that might have involved China and Japan in war were settled by <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="compromise" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/compromise" data-type="EB">compromise</a>, and in 1885 China and Japan agreed that neither would send troops to Korea without first informing the other.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> <section data-level="5" id="ref23192"> <h2 class="h5">The <span id="ref319660"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/First-Sino-Japanese-War-1894-1895" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sino-Japanese War</a></h2> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">By the early 1890s Chinese influence in Korea had increased. In 1894 Korea requested Chinese assistance in putting down a local rebellion. When the Chinese notified <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Tokyo-metropolis" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Tokyo</a> of this, Japan quickly rushed troops to Korea. With the rebellion crushed, neither side withdrew. The Sino-Japanese War formally erupted in July 1894. Japanese forces proved to be superior on both land and sea, and, with the loss of its northern fleet, China sued for peace. The peace treaty negotiated at <span id="ref319661"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Treaty-of-Shimonoseki" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Shimonoseki</a> was formally signed on April 17, 1895; both sides recognized the independence of Korea, and China ceded to Japan Formosa, the Pescadores Islands, and the Liaotung Peninsula, granted Japan all rights enjoyed by European powers, and made significant economic <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="concessions" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concessions" data-type="MW">concessions</a>, including the opening of new treaty ports and a large indemnity in gold. A commercial treaty giving Japan special tax exemptions and other trade and manufacturing privileges was signed in 1896. Japan thus marked its own emancipation from the unequal treaties by imposing even harsher terms on its neighbor. Meanwhile, <span id="ref1173768"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/France" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">France</a>, <span id="ref319662"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Russia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Russia</a>, and <span id="ref1173767"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Germany" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Germany</a> were not willing to <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="endorse" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endorse" data-type="MW">endorse</a> Japanese gains and forced the return of the Liaotung Peninsula to China. Insult was added to injury when Russia leased the same territory with its important naval base, Port Arthur (now Lü-shun), from China in 1898. The war thus demonstrated that the Japanese could not maintain Asian military victories without Western sufferance. At the same time, it proved a tremendous source of <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="prestige" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prestige" data-type="MW">prestige</a> for Japan and brought the government much internal support; it also strengthened the hand of the military in national affairs.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> </section> <section data-level="5" id="ref23193"> <h2 class="h5">The <span id="ref319663"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Russo-Japanese-War" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Russo-Japanese War</a></h2> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Reluctant to accept Japanese leadership, Korea instead sought Russia’s help. During the <span id="ref319664"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Boxer-Rebellion" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Boxer Rebellion</a> (1900) in China, Japanese troops played a major part in the allied expedition to rescue foreign nationals in Beijing, but Russia occupied southern <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Manchuria" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Manchuria</a>, thereby strengthening its links with Korea. Realizing the need for protection against multiple European enemies, the Japanese began talks with England that led to the <span id="ref319665"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Anglo-Japanese-Alliance" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Anglo-Japanese Alliance</a> (1902). In this pact both countries agreed to aid the other in the event of an attack by two or more powers but remain neutral if the other went to war with a single enemy. Backed by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-Kingdom" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Britain</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Tokyo" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Tokyo</a> was prepared to take a firmer stand against Russian advances in Manchuria and Korea. In 1904 Japanese ships attacked the Russian <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="fleet" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/fleet" data-type="EB">fleet</a> at Port Arthur without warning. In the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05) that followed, Japanese arms were everywhere successful; the most spectacular victory occurred in the <span id="ref319666"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Tsushima" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Tsushima</a> Strait, where the ships of Admiral <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Togo-Heihachiro" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Tōgō Heihachirō</a> destroyed the Russian Baltic fleet. But the war was extremely costly in Japanese lives and treasure, and Japan was relieved when U.S. President <span id="ref319667"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Theodore-Roosevelt" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Theodore Roosevelt</a> offered to mediate a peace settlement. The <span id="ref319668"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Treaty-of-Portsmouth" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Treaty of Portsmouth</a>, signed on September 5, 1905, gave Japan primacy in Korea, and Russia granted to Japan its economic and political interests in southern Manchuria, including the Liaotung Peninsula. Russia also ceded to Japan the southern half of the island of Sakhalin. The victory over Russia altered the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/balance-of-power" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">balance of power</a> in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/East-Asia" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">East Asia</a>, and it encouraged nationalist movements in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/India" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">India</a> and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Middle-East" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Middle East</a>. But at home Japan’s failure to gain an indemnity to pay for the heavy war costs made the treaty unpopular.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> </section> </section></section><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":40,"pagesTotal":49,"pageId":300531,"pageLength":847,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"D","adLeg":"D","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"COUNTRY_PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":40,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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