Japan Geography

Archipelago- chain of islands4 main islands and 3000 tiny islandsKyushu, Shikoku, Honshu, and

Hokkaido are the main islands- Honshu most populated

Island Sea serves a major highway between the islands

Japan Geography

Lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire1500 tremors shake the islands every

year30 active volcanoesFierce typhoons routinely strike the

islandsMild climate

Japan Geography

Intensive land use / mild climate / terraced land / drained swamps / 2 growing seasons.

Excellent use of the seas / fish is major source of protein

Limited mineral resources- Almost everything comes to Japan via trade

Japanese People

Homogenous society- same language, same culture, no ethnic minorities

A separate identityDiscrimination towards Ainu and

Burakumin…Early settlers of the northern islands and leather tanners respectively

Japanese HistoryEarly Japanese society divided into

clans according to work/warriors, farmers, weavers, potters etc.

Tenno clan unites country…all emperors can trace back to this clan

Buddhism arrives from Korea in 500ADChinese culture influences every aspect

of Japanese life- Cultural Diffusion

Japanese History

Despite massive borrowing from Chinese culture, Japan still preserves its own culture.

Japanese selected only those ideas that worked for them.

Rejected civil service systemAccepted Buddhism and kept Shinto as

well

Japanese History

Heian Court- Blended the best of Chinese and Japanese cultures

Created new system of writing-KanaRuled for 200 years By 1100AD Japanese Feudalism firmly

in placeSamurai-warrior knights waged battle to

control land

Japanese History

Feudal ClassesEmperor ShogunSamuraiMerchantsArtisansPeasants

Japanese History

1192- Minamoto Yoritomo is made shogun or chief general of the army.

Emperor becomes a figurehead…Shoguns have all the power

Frequent warfare…Japan in a constant state of war through 1400’s.

1500- Japan united for 1st time under Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Japanese History

1600- Tokugawa Leyasu claims shogun- His shogunate lasts until 1868

Peaceful, orderly society with centralized feudalism

The great samurai now called daimyo were brought under control by using their families as hostages

Japanese History

Tokugawa period caused large economic growth complete with money, urbanization, and new rich merchants who made their fortunes by trading.

Remained isolated as Tokugawa’s drove out Christian missionaries who showed up following Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and English traders.

Japanese History

By 1600 Japan is almost totally isolated from rest of world

1853- U.S. ends Japan’s isolation by force( Admiral Perry’s Fleet)- Treaty of Kanagawa grants US vast powers over Japan---Unequal terms

Tokugawa’s begin to decline and lose suppory among all classes

Japanese History

1868- Meiji Restoration- Emperor restored to power.

Modernized JapanSent many to Europe and U.S. to study

government, industry and militaryEmperor is kept/ constitution is written

/legislature called “Diet” is created

Japanese History

Economy grows quickly under “zaibatsu system”…Still exists today.

Abolished feudal social classesRequired military serviceUrbanization / large citiesBy 1900 Japan had become a modern

industrialized nationTerritorial Expansion begins

Japanese History

1895- Japan defeats China to get partial control of Korea

1904- World is shocked when Japan defeats Russia for control of the rest of Korea and a small section of Manchuria

Japan gets much needed natural resources and world standing and respect

Japanese History

WW1- Japan takes over defeated Germany’s holdings in China

The Depression brings military dictatorship to Japan

Renewed expansion in the Pacific to gain more control of China and French Indochina (Vietnam) for their natural resources

Japanese HistoryIn response to Japanese expansion the

Pacific, U.S. cuts off Japan’s oil supply and other goods necessary for the military.

Japan retaliates by bombing Pearl Harbor and WW2 begins for U.S. and Japan.

Japan is defeated after U.S. uses atomic bomb

Japanese GovernmentMany reforms after WW2- Disbanded

military, new constitution moved power from emperor to the Diet, new bill of rights, women allowed to vote, war was made illegal.

Douglas MacArthur in charge of Japanese occupation.

Today the government is democratic, close to business, and much like U.S.

Japanese Economy

Japan’s economy return to a healthy state by supplying military equipment to the UN for use in Korean War.

Looked to U.S. market to sell new smaller hi tech cars, VCR’s, tape recorders, radios, cameras. TV’s, stereo equipment, computer printers and other related products

Japanese EconomyReason’s for success:

Well educated workforce

Cheap labor

Innovation of old products and new invention

Driven as a single society to succeed.

Some see their economic success as an extension of their need to dominate other countries

Japanese Societal Reforms Arranged marriages based on family interests

an social class became less common. Marriages are no longer family alliances

Son no longer follow in father’s footsteps regarding occupations

Land was more evenly distributed among tenant farmers and peasants.

Head of households no longer have legal authority over family members

Japanese Societal Reforms

Family remains center of life...Elders often live in the country while the younger members live in the city in very crowded conditions

Japan women have important roles in the labor force 1/3 are OL’s but this is changing rapidly.

Japanese Religion

Shinto- Way of the gods…Spirits or Kami live in things and controlled nature

Buddhism- 552 AD arrival via Buddhists missionaries. Ties Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism together. Reincarnation

Samurais adapt Zen Buddhism…meditation, self-discipline, self-control both mental and physical. “Bushhido”