History of China & Japan
1
HISTORY
Subject
:
History
Paper No.
:
Paper - VIII
History of China & Japan Unit No. & Title
:
Unit- 2
History of Japan
Topic No. & Title
:
Topic - c
Emergence of Japan as an
Imperial Power
Lecture No. & Title
:
Lecture - 1
Emergence of Japanese Imperial
Power
(For under graduate student)
FAQs
1.
What was the position of Korea during this
period?
Korea was a country fated by its location to lie at the
focal point where the three empires of China, Japan
and Russia met and clashed. For centuries the foreign
relations of Korea had been limited to the sending of
regular tribute missions to China. Living under the
History of China & Japan
2
political and cultural shadow of China, Korea modelled
its institutions and way of life on that of China. Since
1637
Korea
had
maintained
virtually
no
foreign
intercourse other than with China and occasionally
with Japan.
2.
Why was control over Korea such a crucial
matter for Japan?
Japanese leaders felt that Korea would provide an
outlet for the disgruntled samurai at home and shift
attention
away
from
domestic
problems,
by
successfully challenging Chinese authority in Korea
they could win a leading position for their country in
Asia and also to prevent Russia and Great Britain from
securing a foothold near Japan. Japan also depended
on rice from Korea.
3.
How did China and Japan become involved in
Korea following the Tonghak rebellion?
The Tonghak rebellion in Korea precipitated Chinese
and Japanese interference in Korea. The Korean court
sent for help from Yuan Shih-kai. But no sooner had
History of China & Japan
3
the Chinese crushed the Tonghak uprising than eight
thousand Japanese troops appeared in Korea. The
Japanese started demanding that internal reforms
must be carried out in Korea, while Li Hung-chang on
his part instructed the Korean government to stall
Japan by declaring that reforms would only be carried
after the withdrawal of Japanese troops. Tokyo refused
to do so.
4.
Why did Britain and Japan conclude an alliance
in 1902?
The British wanted to bolster their position in East Asia
by allying themselves with the only strong naval power
in the area, and to forestall any possibility of a RussoJapanese agreement to partition Northeast Asia. Japan
on the other hand needed the alliance to ensure that
in case a war broke out with Russia , the latter would
not be joined by any other European power. The
alliance also secured Britain’s blessing for Japanese
ambitions in Korea.
History of China & Japan
5.
4
Why was Japan apprehensive about Russia?
Russia had obtained from China in 1896 the right to
build the Chinese Eastern Railway across Manchuria to
the port of Vladivostok. Moreover Russia also obtained
the lease of the Kwangtung Peninsula in 1898 and with
it the right to extend the South Manchurian Railway to
the ports of Dairen and Port Arthur. These activities of
Russia
naturally
created
mounting
suspicion
and
enmity in Japan. Russian transportation of troops and
reinforcements to Manchuria further convinced Japan
of the imperialist designs of Russia in Manchuria.
6.
What
were
the
terms
of
the
Treaty
of
Portsmouth?
The Treat of Portsmouth (Sept.5, 1905) recognized
Japan’s ‘paramount interest’ in Korea and restored at
least in theory China’s sovereignty in Manchuria and
gave Japan the Russian lease on Kwangtung Peninsula
and the Russian built South Manchurian Railway up to
Changchun and the southern half of Sakhalin.
History of China & Japan
7.
5
What was the significance of the Treaty of
Portsmouth for Japan?
The victory at the Russo-Japanese War and the
subsequent Treaty of Portsmouth made Japan a major
imperialist power and placed it on an equal footing
with Western powers. Japan was freed of all foreign
competitors in Korea and enabled it to extend its
control there. This also displayed that the Meiji leaders
had succeeded in their endeavours to modernize and
strengthen Japan and to place it amongst the foremost
nations of the world.
8.
How can Japanese aggression be explained?
Rapid developments began to take place in Japan
towards the end of the 19th century. The Meiji rulers
wanted to turn Japan into a modern state primarily to
prevent imperialist aggression against her. The Meiji
leaders adopted certain significant measures to make
Japan economically self-sufficient and tried to develop
a capitalist economy. Within twenty years of the Meiji
Restoration (1868) Japan emerged as an economically
developed country. But Japan did not deploy the
History of China & Japan
6
power for self-protection only; one of the major
consequences of Japan’s prosperity was emergence of
Japanese imperialism. Japanese industrialists required
sources of cheap raw materials and markets for its
products,
which
explains
the
Japanese
policy
of
militarism and expansion.
9.
How did Japan proceed to annex Korea?
After Japan defeated Russia and secured recognition of
its’ paramount importance’ in Korea it proceeded with
its plans to annex Korea. Ito Hirobumi set up a
Residency
General
protectorate,
backed
to
by
administer
Japanese
the
Japanese
troops.
Japan
declared that Japanese would serve as Korean officials
and disbanded the Korean army. When widespread
riots started against Japanese domination, they were
ruthlessly suppressed. Then in 1910 Japan went forth
and annexed Korea.
History of China & Japan
7
10. What were the main causes of Chinese defeat at
the First Sino-Japanese War?
In China there was no clear demarcation of authority,
no unity of command and no nationwide mobilization.
Corruption and irregularities were rampant in the
army. The defeat also proved the failure of the SelfStrengthening Movement to revitalize the country and
transform it into a modern state. On the other hand
Japan by comparison had become a modern state and
the Sino-Japanese War had been fought with the
consolidated might of the nation.