How Did Japan Come Under Western Imperialism

Western Imperialism played a major role in the life of nineteenth and twentieth century empires. Countries and empires such as China, the Ottoman Empire, and Japan came under mounting pressure due to the constant growth and might from the Western world which included Europe and The United States of America. The Western Imperialism each country faced led to different outcomes due to different factors in each area. Some came out of this time successfully, and some crumbled under pressure. Imperialism can be defined as: “the policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and dominion of a nation especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas” One can easily

Japan had experienced a period without conflict between 1600-1850. During this time without conflict Japan experienced internal growth in the economy and general growth of society. A great emphasis was placed on education under the Confucian teachings of this time. In Japan an estimated 40% of men and 15% of women were literate, able to read and write . While there is still a notable discrepancy between men and women in these measurements, this is still a remarkable feat for a society of this time period. As the shogunate began to lose control of Japan in the middle-late 19th century, the period of time known as the Meiji restoration took place, leading to leadership being acquired by a younger generation who sought to, and successfully did modernize Japan. This modernization was not gained through violence or conflict, but by using, largely accepting, and drawing up on of the western ideology which had permeated areas such as China and the Ottoman empire. According to Strayer, one of the most prominent pushers of the Western ideology in Japan, Fukuzawa Yukichi, summarized the accepted need to familiarize and modernize with Western ways in an 1870s statement: “If we compare the knowledge of the Japanese and Westerners, in letters, in technique, in commerce, or in industry, from the largest to the smallest matter, there is not one thing in which we excel…. In Japan’s present condition there is nothing in which we may take pride in vis-a-vis the West.” This statement being made by a leader shows a willingness to acknowledge the advancements brought by the Western world’s expansion, and how Japan had lacked behind. This sets apart Japan from others who came under Western imperialism during this