Meiji restoration of Japan

By 1615, after a century of civil war, the powerful Lord Tokugawa had his ememies and declared himself Shogun, ruler of all Japan. Tokugawa divided society into four.He was 15 year old when he ascended the Japanese throne in 1868. when he died in 1912, Japan had risen from a feudal country to a powerful Asian nation shaped after Western patterns. although Emperor Meiji never executed real power, he became the figurehead of the new era named after him.

the funny thing was that the xenophobia of the victorious forces around the emperpr changed from one day to another in to opposite -an attitude of embracing everything foreign woth open arms. Sonno joi was replaced by bummei kaika - civilizaton and enlightenment.

The Japanesen nation went on a tour de force to become a modern nation modeled after Western powers. One statesman of the Meiji government, Ito Hirobumi , became a major driving force in the Westernization of Japan .He was a man of humble origins, but became the most influential person of the Meiji until his assassomation in 1909 .

The process of Westernization tackled with utmost energy. Delegations for all fields of science and technology were sent out to Europe and the United States to study foreign political,economic,administrational and cultural systems.The Japanese pursued westernization and industrialzation so thoroughly that Japan was in dangan of throwing its own cultural heritage over board. ironically it was a handful of influential foreigners working at Japanese universities like Ernest fenellosa (1853-1908) who convinced the Japan to preserve their rich traditions.

In 1894/1895 the Japanese achieved an easy victory against china the Sino-Japanese war. The conflict had broken out over Japan's quest to take control of korea. Ten years later in 1904/1905 the Japanese forces defeated the Russuian fleet and army. The dispute was over Manchuria. Both wars were won because of the superior technology of the Japanese armed forces.

On July 30 of 1912, Emperop Meiji died.His son Yoshihito followed his father to the throne. with him the Meiji era ended officially and the Taisho era began.