THE MEIJI TIMES January 2010
Jason Chow History 9/ 1A 2/8/10
Volume 1: Issue 1
“In This Issue� Section Table of Contents: Page 1: The Making of a Constitutional Japan (Article) Page 2: Japan Stepping Up Their Economy (Article) Page 3: Ballroom Dancing in Japan? (Article), Interview with a Local Woman (Interview) Page 4: Invading Korea and China Was A Mistake! (Editorial 1), Declaring War on Russia Is The Best Decision My Country Has Ever Made (Editorial 2) Page 5: Top Hats are Out! Top Knots are In! (Lifestyle Section)
The Making of a Constitutional Japan
Shortly after Emperor Meiji became the ruling emperor of Japan (1868) he created the Charter Oath in April 1868. The
Due to rushed creation of the Constitution of the 1868, it lacked many things such as: it did not provide Japan with a
Charter Oath consisted of five articles in order to establish a
modern constitution and it also did not have a national
constitution and a set of laws. Each of the five articles had different uses: Article 1 was aimed to give rights to the people
parliament, which would give them respect from the Western nations. By 1875, oligarchs realized the problems in the first
and allow them to make assemblies to discuss and decide on the things; Article 2 was put forth to make all the classes have
constitution and decided to create a new constitution by appointing a new group of officials called the Senate to create
some what of an equal say in things; Article 3 stated that the
it. Between 1876 to 1878 many constitutions were drafted but
people should do whatever they want at their expense; Article 4 was aimed to get ride of all the old ideas and customs of
they were too liberal, as the senate failed to draft a well fitted constitution, Okuma Shigenobu suggested that Japan should
the past and new laws of nature should replace them; and finally the most important of the articles was Article 5 that was
adapt to a parliament style government. Immediately after this he was forced to resign. Ito Hirobumi was the creator of
encouraging people to look to foreign countries for ideas. The
the Constitution of the Empire of Japan, through many years
first constitution was created in 1868, which was created to put the Charter Oath into effect. The Constitution of 1868 was
of studying in Europe he decided that a constitutional government would suit Japan the best. In this Constitution the
had laws and rights given to people of different ranks to attend in assemblies such as the upper house (Dajokan) for
Emperor was given absolute power with the armed forces and the Diet, a Diet (parliament) was created with two parts, the
the higher ranked people and the lower house (Giseikan) for
House of Peers and House of Representatives. - Jason Chow
the lower ranked people. [1]
Japan Stepping Up Their Economy Following the end of the Tokygawa Shogunate, the Meiji government looked to modernize Japan. Between 1868- 1885 the Meiji government’s aim was to make a ‘rich country with a ‘strong military’, but in order to do this they would have to end some old practices and look for new and foreign ideas. Shokusan Koygo was used by the Meiji government to promote enterprise and sponsor industry, this policy ended old rules that restricted things during the Shogunate period and gave them opportunities to industrialize. The Meiji government started to develop industries that the military would need Political Cartoon: Showing the Conflict between Japan and Russia in the Russo- Japanese War.
such as: heavy industry, engineering, mining, and shipbuilding. By 18501855 Japan had started building reveraberatory furnaces to make guns and shipyards to make ships. They hired many foreign instructors to teach Japanese people and workers how to use machines. The Meiji government faced many financial problems after the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate. A lot of money put into dealing with hostile clans after Emperor Meiji took control, there was also a huge imbalance on the expenditure amount and the amount of taxes collected, which only caused
Japanese Railway Line
inflation and chaos. The Meiji government announced that yen was the official currency of Japan in 1871 and with this the people were given
eight years to exchange their clan notes for yen. The Meiji Government had a good amount of money that the Tokugawa Shogunate had left behind after being taken over. In 1972, the Japanese adapted the American system of banking but by 1975 this system failed due to poor management, lack of cooperation, and failure to compete with other foreign banks. In 1882 a European banking system replacing the previous one and was named the Bank of Japan, which helped to finance industry, agriculture, and foreign trade. In 1873, the government introduced a new land tax that would help their heavy spending problem, which ordered farmers to pay three percent of their annual crop to the government. In result, the annual crop was lowered 2.5%, but this put the government on level terms. The first railway line was made in 1972 in Japan that linked Tokyo and Yokohama and railway lines were continued to be built around Japan. Telegraph lines were built in Japan, at first it was only within Japan but by 1880 it was used to communicate internationally. The Regulations on the Transfer of Factories was published on November 5, 1880, to ensure economic growth. These regulations were used to sell off industries to private companies that eventually grew into large businesses and provided rapid financial growth for Japan. - Jack Black
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Ballroom Dancing in Japan? After Matthew Perry and his ‘black ships’ forced the Japanese to open up to the foreign world in 1853 the Japanese continued to adapt to Western ways and ideas. Though Japan had opened up to the foreign world and ended their ethnocentric views on the rest of the world, the samurai faced hardships with Western influence. After the feudal system was abolished the samurai were classed as landowners, the Hatori Edict forbade samurai from wearing swords in public and common people were allowed to participate in the army, which only angered them even more. This even led a Satsuma leader, Saigo Takamori, gathered 30,000 ex- samurai to overthrow the shogun in 1868, but failed. The cultural revolution in Japan was basically the change of all of Japan’s old traditions to new foreign
ideas. Fashion and food were both big changes that took place in the cultural revolution. In 1872, the government made it a rule that people had to wear Western clothing for ceremonies and other events. Ballroom dancing was also a hobby in Tokyo during the 1880’s. Even meat eating became popular in Japan, famous dishes such as Sukiyaki and Teriyaki were made
The Rescript on Education created by Emperor Meiji to ensure that students remain loyal to the throne.
during the Meiji period. Education also changed dramatically during the Meiji Restoration, the Ministry of Education made it mandatory for all children regardless of their social class or gender needed to receive four years of education. This requirement was put into act in 1872, but by 1910 98% of children were receiving education. In 1890, Emperor Meiji introduced his ‘Rescript on Education’ which was aimed to ensure students’ loyalty to the throne, this was included in the education until 1945. - Joe Johnson
Interview with a Local Woman:
Reporter: Oh! That’s very interesting! I Reporter: Hi Madam, I work for the Meiji have another question, do you feel like Times and we’re looking for a woman to the social status of women has interview about how her life has changed changed now that we’ve entered the Meiji Period? If so, do you see this a since Japan has entered the Meiji good thing or bad thing for women? Restoration. Woman: Sorry I’m already running late to Woman: Well honestly, I think that pick up my son from school, I need to go. women are still treated as if they are Reporter: But miss! It will only take a few inferior to men. The Meiji Period has only given women more things to worry minutes! I promise. about, daughters of farmers could get Woman: Okay, well fine! But only for a kidnapped and get sold off to brothels five minutes at most. Reporter: Well then let us start, first of all, in Singapore! Luckily I wasn’t of the many that was kidnapped, but my were you alive when the American older sister that i haven’t seen for many Commodore Perry brought his ‘black ships’ to demand the opening of Japan to years was taken away... Reporter: I am very sorry to hear Americans? about your older sister... But this Woman: Why yes, of course! Though back then I was only 20- some years old! interview is likely to change the view on women, thank you for your time. Once I heard about the ‘black ships’ I imagined only bad things would come of Woman: You’re Welcome. this... But now, comparing life from before the opening of Japan, I like the Western - Jerry Robinson style of things.
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Married Japanese Woman who is devoted to her husband after marriage.
Quote: Okabe Makio (trooper in 1st Division of the Japanese Army) “As we entered the town of Port Arthur, saw the head of a Japanese soldier displayed on a wooden stake. This filled us with rage and a desire to crush any chinese soldier. anyone we saw in the town was killed. the streets were filled with corpses, so many they blocked our way. We killed people in their homes... We shot some, hacked others... Firing and slashing, it was unbounded joy. At this time, our artillery troops were at the rear, giving three cheers [banzai] for the emperor.”
Map of Japanese Invasion in China During the Sino- Japanese War (1894-1895)
Japanese Troops Getting Ready for an Attack in the Russo- Japanese War
Editorial Section Invading China and Korea was a Mistake!
Declaring War on Russia was the Best Decision My
I believe that taking over Korea and forcing the Koreans to
Country Has Ever Made!
sign the Treaty of Kangwha was only used as a way to
The Russo- Japanese War (1904-1905) showed the world that Japan was a strong country by defeating a Western country in
cause trouble and cause worse relations with China. The Sino- Japanese War (1894-1895) was only a way for my
war. The war was started when Russia rejected Japan’s offer to
country (Japan) to show off it’s military power to the Western countries. The Western leaders may have heard
recognize Japan’s interests in Korea and at the same time Japan would recognize Russia’s rights in Manchuria. The Russians
of our decisive victory over China but it is highly unlikely
refused the offer because they were afraid they would lose control of a railway that stretched from Dairen and Port Arthur to
that they will regard Japan as a country equal to their own. The Japanese only took around three months to
Vladivostok, which was crucial to them. The Japanese responded
conquer the ‘strongest fortress in Asia’, Port Arthur. To make matters even worst, the Japanese army that
by firing torpedoes at a Russian fleet in Manchuria that started the war.After three months Japan drove Russian troops out of Korea
invaded Port Arthur went on a killing spree in Port Arthur
and pushed them all the way to Manchuria. while this was happening Japanese Admiral Togo drove a Russian fleet to the
after seeing heads of other Japanese soldiers on stakes. Those vengeance- loving soldiers thought that they would
Straits of Tsushima. The Treaty of Portsmouth granted the control
do good by 60,000 Chinese people in Port Arthur, some of which were only ordinary people living in the area, but
of Liaodong Peninsula once again, control of the South Manchurian Railway, control of the southern half of Sakhalin,
their bad decision only made the Western Powers look
recognized Japan’s interests in Korea, and would not interfere in Japan’s development in Manchuria.The Japanese were able to
down on them as an inferior country. Before more trouble could happen the Japanese and Chinese signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki on April 17th 1895 to end the war.Katsumoto Sena
regain control of the Liaodong Peninsula that was their port after winning the Sino- Japanese War, but they lost it at the Triple Intervention.- Aki Takano [4]
LIFESTYLE SECTION Fashion, Recipes, Life in the Palace, Religious Issues, Book Reviews, Celebrity Gossip, You Name It! Topknots are out! Top hats are in!
Sukiyaki Recipe
Ever since the Meiji Government decided that Western clothing should
Ingredients:
be worn at ceremonies and all court,
One Serving of Noodles
Japanese people have given up on wearing traditional clothing such as kimonos or topknots. The Meiji Period has brought the cutaway (morning
1 pound thin sliced beef 7-8 shiitake mushrooms 1 block enoki mushrooms 1 medium negi
coat) to the Japanese people that had
1/2 Chinese cabbage
become the clothing used for formal ocassions. The samurai topknots have
1 Yaki Tofu
been replaced by Western- style haircuts that symbolized Japan is
For sukiyaki sauce: 1/3 cup soy sauce / 5 tablespoons sugar / 3/4 cup water
really becoming Westernized. -Jay Jo
Procedure: Cut the ingredients into small pieces. Put the ingredients on a large plate and put it on a table. Mix the soy sauce, sake, sugar, and water to make sukiyaki sauce. Put a pan on the table. Everything is done at the table as you eat. Heat oil in the pan. Fry the beef slices, then pour sukiyaki sauce in the pan. Add other ingredients when the sauce starts to boil. Then you are ready to eat!
Sukiyaki is a beef dish that was created in the Meiji Restoration Period when Japan was going through it’s cultural revolution.
- Jim Bo The Cutaway (morning coat) was a popular clothing to wear during the Meiji Period.
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