Empire of Japan

The Empire of Japan (?????; Dai-Nippon/-Nihon Teikoku) commonly refers to Japan from the Meiji Restoration until the end of World War II. Politically, it covers the period from the enforced establishment of prefectures in place of feudal domains (????; Hai-han Chi-ken) in July 14, 1871, through the expansion of Japan from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean, up until the formal surrender in September 2, 1945, when the Instrument of Surrender was signed. Constitutionally, it refers to the period of November 29, 1890, to May 3, 1947. The names "Japanese Empire" and "Imperial Japan" are commonly known and used, referring to the same entity, though the literal translation of the title in Japanese is the Empire of Great Japan.

History

With the Great Depression, Japan, like some other countries, turned to what has debatably been termed Fascism. It was a unique political form (see detailed discussion at Japanese nationalism), though with some European parallels. Unlike the regimes of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, however, Japan had two economic goals in developing an empire.

Related Topics:
Great Depression - Japan - Fascism - Japanese nationalism - Adolf Hitler - Benito Mussolini

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First, as with its European counterparts, a tightly controlled domestic military industry seems to have jump started the nation's economy in the midst of the depression. Also, due to the lack of natural resources on Japan's home islands, in order to maintain a strong industrial sector with strong growth, raw materials such as iron, oil, and coal largely had to be imported. Most of these materials came from the United States. So, for the sake of the military-industrial development scheme, and industrial growth on the whole, mercantilist theories prevailed, and the Japanese felt that resource-rich colonies were needed to compete with European powers. Korea (1910) and Formosa (Taiwan 1895) had earlier been annexed as primarily agricultural colonies. Manchuria's iron and coal, Indochina's rubber, and China's vast resources were prime targets for industry.

Related Topics:
Iron - Oil - Coal - United States - Mercantilist - Colonies - Korea - 1910 - Taiwan - 1895 - Manchuria - Indochina - Rubber - China

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Manchuria was invaded and successfully conquered in 1931, with little trouble. Ostensibly, Japan did this to liberate the Manchus from the Chinese, just as the annexation of Korea was supposedly an act of protection. As with Korea, a puppet government (Manchukuo) was installed. Jehol, a Chinese territory bordering Manchuria, was taken in 1933.

Related Topics:
1931 - Manchus - Puppet government - Manchukuo - Jehol - 1933

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Japan invaded China in 1937, creating what was essentially a three-way war between Japan, Mao Zedong's communists, and Chiang Kai-shek's nationalists. Japan took control of much of China's coasts and port cities, but very carefully avoided European spheres of influence. In 1936 before the Chinese invasion, Japan signed an anticommunism treaty with Germany, and another with Italy in 1937.

Related Topics:
1937 - Mao Zedong - Chiang Kai-shek - Spheres of influence - 1936 - Germany - Italy

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:See also: Imperialism in Asia Japanese imperialism

Related Topics:
Imperialism in Asia - Japanese imperialism

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