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Meiji Japan's Selective Adoption Of Western Ideas And Institutions

1154 Words5 Pages

James Gravante
6/2/17
Dillon

Meiji Japan’s Selective Adoption of Western Ideas and Institutions

During the late nineteenth century, Japan attempted to integrate Western ideas and institutions into its society. During this time, the Japanese government encouraged students to travel to Western countries in the hope that these students would bring back foreign concepts that could be utilized to improve Japanese society. Under the old Japanese government, citizens were not allowed to leave the country. This narrow mindset about the world outside Japan hindered Japan’s development. However, once this ideology was changed, Japan thrived. The Meiji government opened the country to foreigners and hired many foreign nationals to introduce science and technology to Japan from more advanced nations. This open attitude towards foreigners helped the …show more content…

For example, they created a machine that reeled silk mechanically, which gave them an advantage over other countries. In addition, Japanese manufacturers copied the hank-cop reeler, a type of machinery used to manufacture textiles, which they had previously imported from Great Britain. By manufacturing industrial machinery domestically, Japan decreased its need to import such machinery, thus increasing its economic independence. This method of Westernization in Japan proved to be successful because the adoption of foreign industrial models led to an increase in Japan’s economic power. As a result, the Japanese population grew, mortality rates declined, and Japan’s production of rice increased. In addition, Japan increased its coal production from 390,000 tons to 5 million tons over a period of 40 years. All of these factors helped foster Japan’s substantial industrial

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