Abstract
This paper is about the increase in freedom Japanese women experienced during the Meiji and Taisho periods in Japan and the subsequently greater role they had in both the family and the political life of the country. The paper explains how, unwittingly, the Samurai revolution contributed to women's greater liberation and how the combination of increased urbanization along with a higher degree of mobility tended to loosen the traditional strictures on women's physical and social mobility. The paper also points out how the increase in a Japanese middle-class after the Samurai revolution and their corresponding demands for more rights also contributed to greater freedoms for women. The paper makes it clear, however, that the status of Japanese women during this period was never close to being equal to that of Japanese men, but their social and political gains were significant.

From the Paper
"The Meiji period, as Gordon outlines in Chapter Five, "The Samurai Revolution", began with a political revolution that returned the country to direct imperial rule under the Emperor Meiji and brought to an end the era of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The emperor took advantage of the restoration of his power to try to push Japan towards the West and to introduce Western concepts of modernization. The effect over the period of Meiji rule from 1868-1912 included the rise of a much larger and more powerful middle class in Japan. This came about in no small way because the samurai who lead the restoration understood that their own rising power " as well as that of the imperial house " was dependent upon the diminishment of power by the feudal lords."

Tags:role, sex, traditionally, imperial, rule, emperor, tokugawa, shogunate, fuedal, tokyo, edo, shufu

Abstract
This paper explains that the reign of Emperor Hirohito, from 1926 to 1989, was designated Showa, or "Enlightened Peace"; this period includes World War II but historians disagree on the degree to which Hirohito supported Japan's expansionist policies from 1931 to World War II. The author points out that, on Jan. 1, 1946, Hirohito repudiated the traditional quasi-divine status of Japan's emperors and, under the nation's new constitution, drafted by U.S. occupation authorities, Japan became a constitutional monarchy with sovereignty resided in the people, not in the emperor, whose powers were severely curtailed. The paper relates the political issues during the Showa period and the prior era in which Japan rejected Western colonization.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Showa Period
Political Developments
Japan's Rise as a Colonial Power

From the Paper
"Hosokawa initiated political reform, including limitations on campaign contributions and a change in the Japanese electoral system from multiple-member to single-member districts. He achieved some success in limiting contributions and managed to pass a modified elections package that included the creation of 300 single-member constituencies. Opposition within his coalition to tax reform and accusations of his own involvement in the Miyazawa-era scandal forced his resignation in April 1994. Hosokawa's successor lasted a mere two months."

Tags:reform, expansionist, colonization, wwii, liberal-democratic

Abstract
This paper provides insight into adolescence in the Meiji period of Japanese history. It uses a primary source - the novel, "Growing Up" by Higuchi Ichiyo to show how fiction of that period can give us better insight into the lives of adolescent Japanese children in Meiji Japan in the 19th century. The paper discusses the historical value of this writing.

From the Paper
"Higuchi Ichiyo's Growing Up is a portrait of youth during the Meiji period. It is a fictional account of a group of children's coming of age in the town of Yoshiwara. Yoshiwara is a lower to middle quarter with a wide breadth of characters. The characters that Ichiyo presents provide an interesting window into the life of young people in late 19th century Japan. The three characters who allow the most insight are Nobu, Midori, and Shota. Nobu is the son of a priest, Midori is the sister of a prostitute, and Shota lives with his grandmother who runs a pawn shop. Over the course of this piece of writing, the reader follows each of these youths as they struggle with the hardships of growing up and finding themselves. The historical value of this writing is that it allows one to study the maturity of children at this time and their role in society as based on class. It also shows the realities that children had to face at a young age and how much family determined ones occupation at the time. More importantly it shows the suddenness with which these life changes struck adolescents, such as the sudden movement from playing in the streets, to tending to businesses. It would be hard to imagine today, that kids between twelve and fifteen would be taking on the responsibility of priesthood, or the running of a business. It would be even harder to imagine a twelve year old girl becoming a prostitute, but this is exactly the reality that these children face. Growing Up highlights the sudden transition into adulthood that Japanese children had to make during the Meiji period."

Tags:Meiji, Yoshiwara, society

Abstract
This paper examines the position, status and roles of women in Tokugawa Japan. The analysis is based on contemporary texts that reveal that in light of the dominance of the Neo-Confucian ethic, women filled more varied roles and, potentially, exercised more influence than is commonly thought.

Abstract
The paper discusses how in 1868, the Meiji period began, which put an end to a two-hundred year policy of national isolation from being in contact with the outside world, and therefore, a new revolutionary national mission was set in motion to learn from Western civilizations to attempt to strengthen Japan's own international position. The paper describes how in the decades that followed, continuing into the Taisho period between 1912 and 1925, major transformations invaded most of Japanese life, and literature played a huge role in both mediating and understanding Western ideals and providing a forum for those affected to engage in personal reflection on social, political and cultural changes during this chaotic time. The paper explains that women became more vocal and independent over the years of both the Meiji and Taisho periods, by obtaining educations and finding positions in the workplace, including textile factories and brothels.

From the Paper
"In 1868, the Meiji period began, which put an end to a two-hundred year policy of national isolation from being in contact with the outside world. Therefore, a new revolutionary national mission was set in motion to learn from Western civilizations to attempt to strengthen Japan's own..."

Tags:japan, women, meiji

Abstract
The paper discusses how Maeda Ai (1931-1987) was an influential critic in late twentieth-century Japan, who played a significant role in establishing the genres or theories of the city and theories of space. The paper shows how within each of these theories, he explored the intersection of literature with social and political history through a survey of certain urban spatial configurations. The paper also discusses how Maeda played a major part in introducing European theory to Japan, and was mindful of the historical aspects of the Japanese works he discussed. The paper explains that this transformation of Japan was called the Meiji Ishin restoration (also known as renewal or revolution).

From the Paper
"Maeda Ai (1931-1987) was an influential critic in late twentieth-century Japan, who played a significant role in establishing the genres or theories of the city and theories of space. Within each of these theories, he explored the intersection of literature with social and political history through a survey of certain urban spatial configurations."

Tags:japan, revolution, ishin

Abstract
This paper looks at women's role in Japan's modern era development. Their presence and influence is shown by looking outside the events of conventional historical record. The powerful political influence of ruling class women in ancient Japanese society is looked at. The Edo period is seen as the era that forced women to be subordinate and the influence of the West the factor which began to open Japanese women to participation in social spheres once more.

From the Paper
"Studies of Japan's modern era development emphasize its industry, bureaucracy and military, focusing on the political, merchant and capitalist elite and ignoring those upon whom the major costs of development was imposed, particularly women. Japan's modernization came at a social cost borne by the poor, the disadvantaged and women (Hane, 1982). Although their contribution has typically been marginalized, women contributed significantly to the development process in many ways.
Japanese women had an essential role in the domestic sphere and in the economy, but their influence and contributions did not move them toward sexual and legal equality, as was the case for women in the west. This was primarily due to the social and legal conservative imperatives relegating women to the lowest status of every class strata; however, their presence and influence may be seen by taking a larger, and peripheral, view outside the events of conventional historical record."

Tags:Japanese, subordinate, submissive, society, meiji, edo, buddhist

Abstract
The paper examines the role of Japan's military on the world stage. The paper relates that historically, Japan's military has served an imperialistic world internationally, however, today there are other countries in Asia whose economic and military might is equal that of Japan's. The paper shows how for this reason, Japan's approach and use of the military has to be more diplomatic.

From the Paper
"In the twentieth century, Japan's military role was pretty much defined by expansionism and imperialism. From the first Sino-Japanese War of the late nineteenth century to the end of the World War II, Japan was a major military power in the world. After the defeat of Japan in 1945 and the end of the War, Japan spent a great deal of time redeveloping the country and defining its role on the international scene. During this period, Japan expanded its economic influence in foreign markets, as the United States became the primary trading partner."

Tags:japan, military, role

Abstract
This paper looks at a special essay written by an Italian academic in honor of her mentor, a noted Asia scholar. The essay, "On the Role of Ryukyu between Tokugawa Japan and Qing China" considers the relationship which a tiny kingdom of the Okinawa archipelago had with the vastly grater kingdoms of China and Japan. The paper explains that accepting subordination to both kingdoms, the Ryukyu enjoyed trade and autonomy because both countries wanted to accepted the need to keep Ryukyu independent as windows into each others' closed cultures.

From the Paper
"Modern discussions of international relations assume that sovereignty represents a "normal" status for a state, but in "The Role of Ryukyu between Tokugawa Japan and Qing China," Rosa Caroli shows how Ryukyu, the kingdom based on the island now known as Okinawa, for five centuries existed as part of a system based on Chinese Confucian worldview, and thereby gained trade benefits and considerable political protection from larger Asian powers, while shaping the shift in power from China to Japan. In 1372, to open trade with China, Ryukyu acknowledged itself as a barbarian tributary of the Ming dynasty. As a subordinate to China, Ryukyu..."

Tags:china, japan, okinawa