Abstract It is a commonplace of history to observe that all ages are periods of transition, for history is characterized by continual change in human affairs. The Meiji Restoration of late 19th century Japan was such a transitional moment, for in a brief span of time the society, culture, economic and political order of Japan experienced a fundamental restructuring from a pre-Restoration society that was akin to the feudalism of medieval Europe, into a modern industrial nation state. A superficial reading of the history of this era would emphasize the extensiv and pervasive, changes Japan underwent in its social order during the late 19th century and give little attention to the elements of continuity which carried over from the pre-Restoration era. This paper will argue that, while it is impossible to characterize the elements of discontinuity and continuity in the society of MeijiJapan as being in "balance", given the rapid and radical nature of change in the country at this time, nonetheless an understanding of the history of MeijiJapan requires an appreciation of the elements of continuity in Japanese culture.
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 MeijiJapan 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."
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 discusses the Meiji Restoration in Japan, from 1868 to 1912. It describes the events leading to the Meiji Restoration, the events themselves and the changes that happened during the period. It discusses them with relation to the Charter Oath of 1868 and analyzes whether the restoration was a success or not. It looks at the success in terms of the establishment of a democratically-elected government, the elimination of discriminatory class status, disparaging customs and traditions and the establishment of a universal education system.
From the Paper "The waning days of the Tokugawa reign was witnessed by the clan's inability to implement reforms needed to face the requirements of the industrial and the overwhelming pressure of Western nations to open up the country to international trade and industry. Aside from the aforementioned problems, the Tokugawa clan was also being challenged by various other clans and a coup was the final straw that broke the Tokugawa's back. "The Satcho-Dohi coalition of the 1860s carried out this supposed feudal coup from below. The coalition was between the four tozama fiefs of Satsuma, Choshu, Tosa and Hizen, the four strongest principalities of the southwest. (The Meiji Restoration, 1999)" Eventually, the last shogun of Japan, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, capitulated in the late 1800s and handed over the rule of the country to a young emperor of the Meiji clan, Mutsuhito. Mutsuhito took over as emperor upon his father's death in 1867 - Emperor Komei left a troubled nation needing reforms to his then 15 year-old son."
Abstract This paper discusses the novels of prolific Japanese author Natsume Soseki, which offer an interesting expose into life during the era of EmperorMeiji ,as well as a first hand account of the education system of that time. The paper summarizes the information that Soseki provides about EmperorMeiji and the reforms he implemented, which emphasized both nationalism and the integration of foreign ideals. The paper also points out that Soseki's novels reveal that, though change was afoot in Tokyo and intellectual thought was advancing, many of the traditional Japanese ideals still held fast amongst city and country folk alike.
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 In this paper, two books by Japanese author Fukuzawa Yukichi, "The Waiting Years" and "The River Ki", are reviewed and discussed in terms of how they address the oppression of women during the Meiji period in Japan. The main characters of both stories are analyzed and the plots reviewed in an effort to illustrate Yukichi's beliefs about the position of women in society and his opposition to the subordination of women.
From the Paper "Fukuzawa Yukichi's ideas about women and their rights were unusual for his time. He wrote his essays on women during the Meiji Period, when women were still considered to be subordinate to men and were sometimes treated as mere instruments for producing children. Fukuzawa claimed that these beliefs about women were especially prevalent in the upper middle class. Although The Waiting Years, by Fumiko Enchi, and The River Ki, by Sawako Ariyoshi, were written after World War II, both focused on upper middle class women living in the Meiji period. In fact, the principal characters in both stories, Tomo and Hana, were based on the authors? maternal grandmothers, with some of the material for the books coming from information given to the authors from their mothers. Therefore, both books could be considered to be fairly accurate portraits of upper middle class women's lives during that time period. The main characters in both works suffered because of their patriarchal society, and much of this suffering was caused by customs that Fukuzawa criticized in his writings for that very reason."
Tags: ariyoshi, enchi, feminism, fukuzawa, fumiko, japan, rights, river, sawako, waiting, women, years, yukichi
Abstract This paper explains that the structure of Japanese government and politics has much affinity with the United States and the United Kingdom, having three main bodies and a bicameral legislature; however, Japan also continues to retain symbolic ties to its past with its continued institution of the Emperor as a figurehead. The author points out that, unlike many of its nearby neighbors, the citizens of Japan are guaranteed by their constitution to regular, free, and fair elections; the age of suffrage is 20 years old and is extended universally to all Japanese citizens. The paper relates that much of political power in the Japanese government lies with the Shugu-in or House of Representatives because, although the Sangri-in can delay the passage of a bill or treaty that has been approved by its lower counterpart, the Sangri-in has no say in the election of the powerful Prime Minister, and the Sangri-in is subject to being overruled by the Shugu-in in several decision-making cases.
Table of Contents
Structure
Elections
Laws and Policy
From the Paper "Similar to the United States, the government of Japan is divided into three main branches -- the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches. The Executive branch is charged with the administrative affairs of the country. Since 1989, Emperor Akihito has served as the nominal chief of state. Under Japanese law, Akihito could still perform state functions such as promulgating amendments to the Japanese constitution, proclaiming the results of general elections, receiving foreign ambassadors and awarding government honors. As emperor, Akihito could even dissolve the House of Representatives and dismiss ministers. However, the emperor could only perform these duties with the approval of his Cabinet."
Abstract This paper discusses Japan's rise to the international forefront at the beginning of the twentieth century and examines how the economic downturn in the 1920s paved the way for the rise of the militarists and ultimately to Japanese aggression in the 1930s.
From the Paper "In 1920 Japan's wartime economic boom distorted, and the country suffered a series of recessions. The great Kanto earthquake of 1923, which devastated the Tokyo-Yokohama region, aggravated bad economic conditions. Agricultural prices plunged, and the rural economy became indolent. A major bank panic in 1927 set off alarm bells, but conditions grew much poorer with the onset of the Great Depression?the global economic slump that began at the end of 1929. Japan's manufacturing production fell, workers were laid off, a new wave of strikes began, and the rural economy went into a tailspin."
Abstract This paper discusses how the West has influenced and changed Japanese culture in the modern period. It examines Japan's distinctive value system, its predisposition to learning and influence of Shintoism and the emperor. The author explores the dynamics that affect contemporary Japanese life. It also mentions economic influences on Japan.
From the Paper "While much is made of Japan's long historical tradition including the customs and values of social hierarchies, Japan has neither escaped nor rejected the realities of modern technology and global communications media which have exerted an impact in virtually ..."
Tags: Western, culture, Orientalism, Occidentalism, Japan, USA
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."
Abstract This paper examines the changing gender roles in Japan by focusing on two broad areas ? the role of women in the family and the role of women in the economic/work sphere. The first part of the paper examines women in the traditional domestic sphere. In the second part, the paper looks at women's participation in the sphere of gainful labor, which increased dramatically after World War II. Finally, the paper looks at the effects these changing roles have engendered in other spheres of Japanese life, such as politics and the women's movement.
From the Paper "Traditional stereotypes hold that women have always occupied a subservient role in Japanese society. Indeed, among the most enduring images of women in Japan are the mother/wife/caretaker or the geisha.
These stereotypes, however, hardly do justice to the complex and nuanced positions women have occupied in Japanese society. In many instances, the "image" of the subservient Japanese women does not reflect the power and social expectations related to her role in society."
Tags: gender, roles, in, Japan, subserviant, Japanese, women, Kamakura, period
Abstract This paper presents a review and analysis of Norma Fields' 1991 book, "In the Realm of a Dying Emperor", which presents a meditation on Emperor Hirohito's death.
From the Paper The "Realm of a Dying Emperor", by Norma Field, presents a meditation on Hirohito's death in the atmosphere that prevailed in Japan during this death. Within this context the deaths in the Pacific War and the death of the quality of life in daily routines were also examined. The book presents three vignettes: a supermarket owner, a man who lived in Okinawa and fired the national flag, a woman who rejected the state's burial of her husband who had been a member of the Self-Defense Force..."
Tags: in the realm of a dying emperor, norma field
Abstract This paper examines how for centuries, women have always been considered as inferior to men and how this biased perception was not only existent in the eastern civilizations but was also present in the western societies. It looks at how today in eastern civilizations, women have made significant contributions towards several social, political and religious movements either directly or indirectly and have been playing an important role in the advancement and development of these societies. Throughout Asia, nations have supported women as leaders in different political movements, which were initiated by their husbands or fathers and most of the Asian women have been ruling in societies where women often do not have much liberty to express their views and exercise their individual freedom. This paper analyzes the role of women of the years in several prominent societies of Asia including China, South East Asia, Japan and Mongolia.
From the Paper "With the independence of South Asia from the British regime, a democratic constitution was formed, which recognized the rights of women as equal to that of men. In the coming decades, numerous laws were changed including the marital laws, the property right legislations, rules for inheritance etc. Several other movements in the late 70s were supported by women activist groups, which led to the formation of several new legislations to protect the interests of women. However, the recent wave of fundamentalism has again brought women's liberty at stake. There are still incidents of murders and rapes in South Asia and literacy rate of women in the region is the lowest in the world, which is very surprising."
Abstract This paper uses maternalism as a theoretical lens and discusses the women's movement in Japan since 1945. The author examine the Japanese construction of the woman's role as an idealized mother. It explores Japanese feminism and feminist practices. The paper includes research on issues involved in the feminist movement and the empowerment of women.
From the Paper "According to Khor, to fully understand, Japanese feminism requires an extensive collaborative and coordinated research and active engagement with the myriad and at times contradictory voices and activities in the various sites of ..."
