Exam Flashcards
47 Ronin
The 47 Ronin, also known as the Ako incident, is a popular true story in Japan. What happened was that a daimyo by the name of Naganori Asano was forced to commit seppuku after trying to kill an imperial official by the name of Yoshinaka Kira for constantly insulting and belittling him while teaching Naganori proper etiquette to greet the Emperor. 47 of Naganori’s samurai pledged to avenge the death of their lord and attacked Yoshikana’s estate. They successfully captured Yoshinaka while being careful to leave non-combatants out of it and gave him the chance to commit seppuku. Yoshinaka gave no answer so they ended up just killing him. After this 46 of the 47 samurai were made to commit seppuku themselves.
Anglo-Japanese Alliance-1902
An alliance between Britain and Japan made in response to growing Russian expansion. It lasted until 1923.
Anti-Comintern Pact
A pact between Japan, Germany, and Italy which formed the foundation for the Axis powers in order to stop the spread of Communism from the Soviet Union. It was signed with Germany in 1936 and Italy in 1937.
Bushido - The Soul of Japan
Bushido - The Soul of Japan was a book written by Inazo Nitobe and published in 1899. It was a book that took a look at the code of the samurai, bushido, delving into its precepts, exploring its effects and roles in Japanese culture, and comparing it to similar systems in other cultures such as chivalry.
Commodore Mathew C. Perry
Commodore Perry was an officer in the American navy. He was sent to Japan with orders to open their ports for trade with America by force if necessary. He did just that, sailing his gunships to the capital of Edo and threatening to level it if they didn’t open their ports. The Japanese eventually relented and a treaty was signed.
Constitution of 1889
Also called the Meiji Constitution, it was a restructuring of the government in which the Emperor oversaw the making of laws and the military while an elected group called the Diet focused on handling domestic affairs. These revisions were made to modernize themselves to match western standards.
Emperor Komei
The 121st Emperor of Japan, Emperor Komei reigned during the final years of the Edo period, from 1846-1867. He held very anti-western sentiments and it was, ironically under his reign that Japan was forced to open its ports to American ships. His reign was full of turmoil and eventually saw the collapse of the Tokugawa Shogunate. His son, Emperor Meiji, would eventually go on to enact the Meiji Restoration.
Genro
The Genro were retired statesmen who acted as informal advisors to the Emperor. They held prominence from 1890 to 1940.
Ihara Saikaku
A renowned poet from the Tokugawa era, he created the Ukiyo-Zoshi style of poetry, also known as floating world; it is a type of fiction rooted in realism. The majority of his works were generally amourous stories, and is well known for writing over 10 000 haikai stanzas in single sittings.
Ito Hirobumi
Ito Hirobumi was a former samurai and the first prime minister of Japan. He had studied abroad in Europe and used what he learned there to help draft the Meiji constitution based on how the governments tended to function there.
Kellogg-Briand Pact
A treaty signed by many world powers in 1928 to avoid going to war over disputes with other countries. Its success was mixed as World War 2 happened not long after, but it formed the basis of the Geneva Convention and held the instigators of the war responsible, not to mention that since then wars have been fairly uncommon.
Kokuhonsha
A policy created by Kiichiro Hiranuma in 1924, it was a nationalist idea that opposed various “ism” ideologies, such as communism, socialism, marxism, and anarchism.
Manchurian Incident
An event in 1931 in which the Japanese military staged a false bombing under the flag of Chinese nationalists, in which a small amount of dynamite was detonated on a Japanese owned railway in Manchuria. The Japanese blamed Chinese dissidents and used it as an excuse to invade Manchuria.
Meiji Restoration/Era
A period of time in which Japan transitioned from the feudal system into a more modern system of government. It lasted from 1868-1912, and tradition was moved aside for modernization, with many staples of Japanese culture such as the samurai dying off
Minseito/Seiyukai
Minseito and Seiyukai were both political parties in opposition to each other, the former being a fairly liberal party trying to strengthen ties with the west whilst the later is more conservative pushing for more militaristic and bureaucratic control. Minseito was founded in 1927 while Seiyukai was founded in 1900, and both were dissolved in 1940.
The Nanjing Incident
When Japanese forces took over the Chinese capital of Nanjing in 1937 during the second Sino-Japan war, soldiers committed all sorts of atrocities against civilians in the city. These included brutally murdering and raping people in the streets and their homes. In the end the death count was estimated somewhere between 200 000 and 300 000. It was only in 2013 that the Japanese government offered an apology.
The Niniroku Incident
Also known as the February 26 incident, it was a military coup d’etat done by a group calling themselves the Young officers movement in 1936. Their goal was to eliminate many of their political rivals in which they were somewhat successful, killing several officials. However they were quickly stopped by the rest of the army and forced to surrender. They were given a trial with no attorney which led to their executions and incarcerations.
The Nomonhan Incident -1939
Also called the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, it was a conflict between the forces of Japan against those of the Soviet Union. It took place near the village of Nomonhan and the Japanese army was decimated in the fight.
Pact of Steel
A pact signed by Germany, Italy, and Japan, which formed the Axis Powers. The pact made it so that they must assist each other in war as much as possible and that peace can only be obtained if all three agreed on it.
Peace Preservation Law (1925)
A law passed with the intent of suppressing communists and socialists. It stated that anyone expressing intent of altering the private property systems or associating with a group with such designs can lead to arrest.
Popular Rights Movement
A movement popular in the 1880s, it focused on trying to bring democratic ideas to the newly reformed government. While it likely played a good part in the formation of the diet, it ultimately failed at turning Japan into a true democracy.
Portsmouth Peace 1905
A treaty held between Japan and Russia in Kittery, Maine, led to the end of the Russo-Japan war and established Japan as a world power. Theodore Roosevelt was instrumental in the formation of the treaty and ended up winning a nobel prize for it.
Prince Konoe Fumimaro
The Prime Minister of Japan during the time in which it was invading China, he was largely responsible for turning Japan towards a more totalitarian country. During this time relations with the U.S deteriorated and he was unable to repair them, eventually leading to Pearl Harbor.
Rescript of Education (1890)
By Emperor Meiji’s decree, schools were to be once more taught through Confucian principles and ideas. Along with this schools were given a portrait of the Emperor to inspire loyalty in the students.
Saigo Takamori
The last samurai, he was initially pro restitution and was an instrumental player in it, helping to bring about the fall of the Shogunate in Edo. However, when the government came to disarm the samurai, Saigo led the Satsuma rebellion against them. In the end they were defeated in Shiroyama, with Saigo committing seppuku before the government could try him. He was pardoned posthumously.
Saionji Kimmochi
Prince Saionji Kimmochi acted as prime minister from 1906 - 1908 and again from 1911 - 1912. After this he became the last genro and as such was one of the most influential people in Japan.
Shandong Province
An important province in China, it was one where much of their culture and religion originated from. Japan conquered it in retaliation for Russia interfering trying to uphold the Triple Intervention.
Shimonoseki Peace
A peace treaty signed in 1885 by Japan and China. China gave up a few major regions such as Liandong, the Penghu Islands, and Taiwan. China strengthened trade with Japan, and Korea was recognized as its own country.
The Showa Era
Lasted from 1926 - 1989, it was named after the Emperor Showa Hirohito. During this time, Japan was very militaristic and authoritarian, undoing a lot of work done during the Taisho era.
Taisho Democracy
The Taisho democracy lasted from 1912 - 1926. Japan went in a more democratic direction under Emperor Taisho, with much more voting and labor legislations, along with less taxes.
The Triple Intervention 1895
An effort made by Germany, France, and Russia in order to help China against Japan’s imperialist conquests. However, when Russia tried to intervene directly, Japan took the province of Shandong.
