karen chui

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Starting from 1868, Japan’s government began laying the foundations for a modern economy. In 1868, Japan was still a non‐industrialized country. Three quarters of its workforce was employed in agriculture or farming. During this period, industrialization became an important aim. A government policy of sponsoring industry and promoting an enterprise called shokusan koygo became a major part of this program. The government became realizing that in order for our country to become a rich country with a strong military, it needed to develop industries that the modern military power depended on. In 1850, the Hizen Clan had already built the Lirst successful reverberatory furnace and soon began producing iron guns. In 1865, Japan had two modern shipyards at Nagasaki and Yokosuka. After the fall of the shogun, the new government, the Meiji government, made developing defense industries top priority. Institutions were created for the manufacture of guns. New schools were founded and the best Japanese students were sent overseas to study. Japan also began mining. Foreign experts now operate the mines that the Bakufu once operated. By the end of the Meiji period, it is predicted that Japan will become the largest producer of coal and the exporter of copper in the world. When the shogun fell, Japan faced a lot of Linancial problems. It cost the government a lot to crush the clans that were hostile towards it. In 1868, Japan used around thirty million yen, while they only gained around three million. This had a severe impact on the economy. There was inLlation in the country. The internal revenue dropped by a lot and the currency situation was shocking. There were a lot of different clan notes, all worth different values. In 1871, Inside This Issue: Truth About Modernization Revealed ....................Page 1 Japan Wins Russo-Japanese War .......................... Page 2 Editorial ....................Page 3 Lifestyle Section ........Page 4 Teriyaki Chicken Recipe .......................Page 4 Food For Thought .....Page 4 Interview with Fashion Designer ....................Page 4 By: Karen Chui M EIJI Times the Truth About Modernization Revealed continued on page 2 1 Coal Mining

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  Starting from 1868, Japan’s government  began  laying  the f ounda t i on s  f o r  a  mode rn economy. In 1868, Japan was still a non‐industrialized  country.  Three quarters  of  its  workforce  was employed  in  agriculture  or farming.  During  this  period, industrial ization  became  an important aim.   A  government  policy  of s p o n s o r i n g  i n d u s t r y  a n d promoting  an  enterprise  called shokusan  koygo  became  a  major par t  o f  t h i s  p rogram .  The government  became  realizing  that in order for our country to become a  rich  country  with  a  strong military,  it  needed  to  develop industries  that  the  modern military  power  depended  on.  In 1850,  the  Hizen  Clan  had  already b u i l t  t h e  L i r s t  s u c c e s s f u l reverberatory  furnace  and  soon began  producing  iron  guns.  In 1865,  Japan  had  two  modern sh ipyards  a t  Nagasak i  and Yokosuka.  After  the  fall  of  the shogun,  the  new  government,  the M e i j i  g o v e r n m e n t ,  m a d e developing  defense  industries  top priority.  Institutions  were  created for  the manufacture  of  guns.  New schools were  founded and the best Japanese  students  were  sent overseas to study.   

   Japan  also  began  mining. Foreign  experts  now  operate  the mines  that  the  Bakufu  once operated.  By  the  end  of  the  Meiji period,  it  is  predicted  that  Japan will  become  the  largest  producer of  coal and the  exporter of  copper in the world.  When  the  shogun  fell, Japan  faced  a  lot  of  Linancial problems. It cost the government a lot  to  crush  the  clans  that  were hostile  towards  it.  In  1868,  Japan used  around  thirty  million  yen, while  they  only  gained  around three  million.  This  had  a  severe impact on the economy. There was inLlation  in  the  country.  The internal  revenue  dropped  by  a  lot and  the  currency  situation  was shocking.  There  were  a  lot  of different  clan  notes,  all  worth different values. In 1871, 

Inside This Issue:

Truth About Modernization Revealed ....................Page 1

Japan Wins Russo-Japanese War .......................... Page 2

Editorial ....................Page 3

Lifestyle Section ........Page 4

Teriyaki Chicken Recipe .......................Page 4

Food For Thought .....Page 4

Interview with Fashion Designer ....................Page 4

By: Karen Chui

MEIJI Timesthe

Truth About Modernization Revealed

continued on page 2 1

Coal Mining

Japan wins Russo-Japanese War

in order to overcome these problems, the government adopted  the  yen  as  the  basic  unit  of  currency.  Then the  exchange  of  clan  notes and  the money  issued by the daimyo was suspended.   Although  Japan  had  a  high  level  of  potential savings  for  an  under‐developed  country,  Japan  still lacked a modern banking system.  In 1872, it used the American system as a model for Japan.  Four national banks were established, but in 1875,  the  banks were in  serious  Linancial  trouble  because  of  poor management and failure to compete with other banks and institutions. In 1882, Japan adopted the European style  system  of  banking.  The  nation’s  Lirst  central bank, the bank of Japan, was formed that same year.   The  government  spent  a  lot  of  money  on building  a  new economy.  In  1873,  they introduced a new land tax in which farmers had to sell 3% of their annual  crop  to  the  government.  As  the  government predicted,  it  became  the  largest  source  of  income. 

Although it was reduced by 0.5% in later years, it was still a heavy burden on the farmers.  Another  thing  that  the  government  changed was  the  railways  and  telegraphs.  In  1872,  the  Lirst railway line  was built from  Tokyo to Yokohama. This was a popular way for transportation  for the people; in fact, around two million people took it each year. In 1874,  another  line was built  from Kobe  to Osaka.  In 1877,  it was extended to Kyoto. Telegraph  lines were built and linked all the major Japanese cities by 1880.   During this period, Japan’s economy grew by a lot.  It  established  major  mines,  factories  and shipyards.  The  government  soon  began  selling  off certain  industries to private  companies to make sure that there will  be  continued economic growth  in our country.  The  economy  is  predicted  to  have  a continuous rise. 

By: Karen Chui

On  April  17,  1895,  Japan,  won  the  war  against China.  The  Treaty  of  Shimonoseki  was  signed, ofLicially  ending  the  war.  Japan’s  triumph was  soon ended when Britain, France and Germany forced  it to give up  the Liaotung Peninsula  in an event known  as the Triple Intervention. It had no choice, but to agree.   Three  years  later,  Russia  was given  the  right  to the Chinese Eastern Railway.  It connected Manchuria to the  Russian port of  Vladivostok,  to major ports  of Dairen  and  Port  Arthur.  This  alarmed  the  Japanese because  it  threatened  its  plans  for  expansion  into Asia.  Britain  feared Russia’s advance  in Asia. It wanted to join  a defensive  alliance with  Japan.  Not  everyone in Japan agreed to this. Some thought that Britain was using the Japanese so its expansions into Asia will not injury  Britain’s  interests.  Unfortunately,  on  January 30, 1902, the Anglo‐Japanese alliance was signed.   After  the  singing  of  the  alliance,  most of  Japan’s leaders  wanted  Russia  to  recognize  its  interests  in Korea.  Most  agreed  that  the  only  places  Japan  can expand  to  are  China  and  Korea.  In  1903,  at  an Imperial Conference, Japan negotiated for a long  time with Russia, wanting  Russia  to recognize its interests in Korea if  it recognized Russia’s rights in Manchuria. Despite  all  this,  Russia  would not agree  to budge  on the question of Korea.   There  was only one  choice  left  for the  Japanese. On  February  8,  1904,  its  naval  forces  attacked  the 

Russian naval Lleet anchored at Port Arthur. War was declared  two  days  later.  Soon,  the  Japanese  troops drove  the Russian  troops  out of  Korea.  Japan’s army suffered  heavy  losses,  but  it  still  continued  to  go northward into Manchuria and capturing Port Arthur. In May, Japan won the battle on the Yalu River, giving it  control  of  all  of  Korea.  In  September,  its  troops moved  into  the  south  of  Manchuria.  Later,  in  early January of 1905, the commander of the army, General Nogi,  captured  Port  Arthur.  Soon,  on  September  5, 1905,  the  Treaty of  Portsmouth was singed between Russia  and  Japan,  ending  the  war  and  suffering. Defeating  Russia  was  a  great  achievement  for  the Japanese,  because  no  other  Asian  power  had  every beaten an established European nation. 

Japanese soldiers during the Russo-Japanese War

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By: Anonymous   Our  government  has  recently  started  to modernize. I agree with the whole modernization thing,  but I still think that Japan  should maintain our  divine  culture.  We  should  not  change  our lifestyles  so  they  are  replicas  of  the  Western people’s.   Before  this  Meiji  Restoration,  the  upper classes would wear silks and satins. The peasants were  only  allowed  to  wear  hemp  and  cotton. When people walked  out on  the street, we  could tell who were  in the  upper class and  lower class. All  of  this  changed  in  1872.  Our  government decided  that  everyone  should  dress  in  the Western  style. We  had to dress Western style for all  court  and  ofLicial  ceremonies.  Then  the morning  coat  or  cutaway  became  the  standard dress  for  formal  occasions.  Peasants  no  longer wore  their  hemp  and  cotton  clothing  and  the upper classes no longer wore  their silk and satin clothing. No one  could tell  an upper class person 

from  a  lower  class  one.  We  became  the  same.  I come  from  an  upper class  family.  I  feel as  if  my social status has been  lowered.  I  feel  as  if  I have lost  the  respect  of  the  peasants  and  the  people who have a lower social status than me.   In  1870,  many  people  had  their traditional  samurai  topknot  replaced  with Western‐style  haircuts.  Since  I  come  from  an upper  class  family,  I  was  forced  to  cut  off  my topknot so show that I was an “enlightened” man. I  did  not  believe  in  this  though.  I  felt  that  my topknot showed who I really was, a young proud Japanese  man.  Having  my  topknot  cut  off  made me feel like I lost another part of my true identity.   A part of this Restoration that I personally like is eating meat. Along with this modernization came  many  new  dishes  that  contain  meat. Although  Buddhist  beliefs  did  not  allow  the eating  of  meat,  several  dishes,  such  as  Sukiyaki and  Teriyaki,  became  popular  in  a  very  short amount of time. 

Editorial

By: Anonymous    In 1872, our government decided  to  start the  way  people  dressed.  In  the  past,  the  upper class wore silks and satins while peasants like my family  were  only  allowed  to  wear  hemp  and cotton.  This  is  changed  in  1872.  Everyone  was encouraged  to  wear  Western  clothing.  When  I head this news,  I  felt  joy inside. Never have  I felt so happy  in my  life.  We  poor  people would  now dress the same as the upper classes. I felt as if my social status has rose. To Lit in, many samurai had to cut off their topknots. With his topknots cut off, I felt as if everyone was more equal now. The rich and the poor dressed the same and  in early 1870, ate pretty much the same food.   In early 1870,  people were  encouraged to eat  dishes  containing  meat  and  this  tradition 

gained  popularity  quickly.  With  everyone  eating the same kind of  food, I felt that the upper classes and the lower classes were more equal now.   Another  thing  that  our  new  government changed  was  adding  ballroom  dancing.  It  was  a popular pastime. Soon, this changed.  In 1889,  the Japanese craze for Westernization came to an end. Most Japanese people returned to living their lives Japanese  style.  I  thought  that  this  was  a  bad choice  for our society. During  the  time when our country  replicated Western  lifestyles,  I  felt  that I had more  freedom and everyone was more  equal. This made  everything  better,  but  good  things  do not last for long. 

SukiyakiMap of Japan

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Life Style Section

Chicken Teriyaki 3/4 pounds chicken thighs2 tbsp sake (rice wine)4 tbsp soy sauce4 tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine)2 tbsp sugar

Mix all ingredients except for chicken in bowl. Marinate the chicken in the mixture for 15 minutes in the refrigerator. Heat some oil in a frying pan.

Fry the skin side of the chicken on medium heat until the skin is browned.Pour the sauce used to marinate chicken into the pan. Cover the pan and steam cook the chicken on low heat until done. Remove the lid and simmer until the sauce becomes thick. Stop the heat. Slice the chicken, pour the thickened sauce over the chicken and serve on a plate.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT During the Meiji Period, other countries

started to influence Japan’s food and culture. A new

kind food known as Shojin-ryori would be introduced. This dish was introduced by a high priest after the

priest came back from China. This dish was cooked by Buddhist priests. They believed that eating is the same

as killing something because they believed that plants

were alive. Therefore, Buddhist priests thought that people should not waste any food.

Shojin-ryori is a vegetarian dish, but some vegetables such as onions, garlic and leek are not used

because they are too strong. No cooking spice is used

too. The Buddhist priest think of the Shojin-ryori as the mother of the Japanese foods because many of the

other vegetarian dishes are based on this dish.

Shojin-ryori

INTERVIEW WITH JAPAN’S TOP FASHION DESIGNER

In this issue, we have interviewed Japan’s top fashion designer.

MT : Hello, Yuuki. We have heard of your famous

creations so we have invited you here today for an interview and hopefully a sneak preview of your work for

our readers.

Yuuki: Hello. I am honored to be an this issue of Meiji

Times.

MT: Tell us about yourself. How many years have you been working as a designer? Why did you choose to

become a designer? Is it hard to design a new line?

Yuuki: I have been working as a fashion designer for five

years now. Most designers say that by now, we usually

know what type of clothing is good and which are bad and I have to agree with this. I choose this job because as a

young girl, I would be drawing designs of clothes that I wanted. As a grew older, I started to design actual pieces of

clothing. The first thing I designed was a dress. It was

simple, yet astonishing. When I first showed it to my teacher (I had lessons with a fashion designer to learn

4Continued on page 5

more about designing clothes), she

was surprised that someone so young had such a great talent. From that day

on, I knew that my dream job would

be a fashion designer. it is not that hard to come up with new ideas

because my ideas come from the public. The lines that I have created

are based on what the majority of

society wants. For example, now people want to dress like Westerners

so my new line is based on that.

MT: So Yuuki, what inspired you to

create this new line that everyone

wants?

Yuuki: As you know, most of Japan’s

population want to live “the Western way.” Our people have developed a

craze for Western things.

Food, clothing and education in Japan

are replicas of the West. Before this Restoration, the upper classes and the

lower classes dressed very differently.

The upper classes wore silk and satin while the peasants were limited to

hemp and cotton. This has changed.

When you go out on the streets, most of the people are already wearing

Western style clothing. All I did was

simply draw out the style of clothing that everyone wanted.

MT:You make this job sound really

easy! Thank you for interviewing with us today. Maybe you could give us a

preview of your new line.

Yuuki: This job is not really that hard. All you need is to be patient and think

out of the box. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I cannot show you

and the readers a preview of my new

line. But I can show you a kimono that I previously designed and mark

my words, Japan is destined for greatness.

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“Japan is destined for greatness”

Traditional Kimono with Cranes

Political Cartoon