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Japan's Quest for Empire
By Jessica McBirney
2016
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When Japan modernized and industrialized to become more like the countries of the Western world in
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the 20th century, it also imitated colonialism and imperialism. This text explains who factors like
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economic growth and nationalism propelled Japan on its quest to grab more land and fight for power. As
you read this text, take notes on the relationship between nationalism and imperialism.
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The Japanese empire officially began in 1868,
when Emperor Meiji strengthened Japan’s
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colonial and military powers. In the decades
after this “Meiji Restoration” Japan worked hard
to keep up with European empires of the day and
industrialized its economy and military very
rapidly. Because Emperor Meiji wanted to expand
Japan’s influence around the world and establish
as many colonies as he could, the Japanese
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military became very aggressive about grabbing
territory from other nations.
In 1894 they fought a war with China over who
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would rule the Korean peninsula. The war set
both nations up for years of tension. Japan also
fought to take control of Manchuria, a large
region in the northern part of China.
"Emperor Meiji, the 122nd emperor of Japan" is licensed under
Public domain.
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When a country modernizes, it makes changes so that society is more “modern” (newer and more advanced).
When a country industrializes, it develops more industries (ex. more factories that make different products).
“Western” is a term often used to describe things, people, ideas, or ways of life that come from or are associated with
the United States, Canada, and the countries of Western, Northern, and Southern Europe.
Colonialism is the practice by which a powerful country directly controls less powerful countries and uses their
resources to increase its own power and wealth.
Imperialism is a system in which a rich and powerful country controls other countries, or a desire for control over
other countries.
Nationalism refers to great pride and love for one’s country; it can also refer to the belief that one’s country is better
than all others.
An empire is a number of individual nations that are all controlled by the government or ruler of one particular
country.
“Colonial and military powers” refers to the power that Japan gains from building up its armed forces and capturing
other countries’ land to control its natural resources.
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Reasons for Pursuing Empire
Time only accelerated Japan’s thirst for empire. Japan needed to take control of more land on the
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mainland in order to have enough resources to become a world power. In the late 1920s, Japan
experienced an economic depression that further emphasized its need for natural resources. The
country practiced aggressive economic policies. For example, they tried to become the cheapest place
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to buy textiles so that other countries could not compete.
In addition, Japan’s political structure was led mainly by military power, especially after the 1920s. A
small group of men governed the nation during the early 20th century, but in the 1920s they all died,
leaving the military to operate mostly on its own. Emperor Hirohito rose to power in 1926. Under his
rule, democratic reformers achieved some political success, but they pushed too hard for reform and
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received an extreme backlash from conservative nationalists. Ultra-conservatism led to many
restrictive policies. Due to strong feelings of nationalism, more leaders began to recognize the benefits
of using force to become a world power.
Empire in Action
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In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria again and set up a “puppet government” designed to serve Japanese
needs and desires. They became very rich because of Manchuria’s vast natural resources. More troops
tried to push farther north, but the Russian army would not allow Japan to capture more territory.
Instead, Japan slowly continued to take bits of Chinese territory over the next few years.
Total war began in 1937. Japanese soldiers were stationed at the Marco Polo Bridge when they heard
explosions coming from the Chinese side. They assumed this meant an attack was coming, so they
alerted the army and began a full-scale attack on the Chinese troops. Japanese forces quickly
overwhelmed the Chinese military. They captured all of China’s major ports, and most major cities, by
1939. The soldiers acted brutally towards their enemies and even towards civilians. The famous Rape
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of Nanking occurred in China’s capital city of Nanking, where Japanese soldiers killed up to 300,000
people. ;
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Throughout the war they also brutally killed Chinese civilians who attempted to use guerilla warfare
against them. Historians estimate that between 10 and 20 million Chinese people died by the end of
the war.
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Aggressive (adjective): ready or likely to attack or confront
Korea is a historical state in Northeast Asia that borders China. Since 1945 it has been divided into two different
independent countries: North Korea and South Korea.
“Mainland” refers to land that is not on an island; in this case, since Japan is an island country, the mainland refers to
territory on the main continent of Asia.
Fabrics and cloth
Simply put, conservatives are people who don’t want things to change too much and value traditional ideals.
Nationalists want to unify Japanese culture (or the culture of whatever nation it happens to be) over foreign ideas
and influences.
The name of a brutal massacre of the Chinese by the Japanese
"Guerrilla warfare" refers to attacks conducted by small groups of unofficial soldiers against large traditional armies.
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The End of Empire
Japan joined Germany and Italy in the Second World War in 1940 and famously bombed U.S. forces at
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Pearl Harbor at the end of 1941. After the bombing, the U.S. began giving supplies to the Chinese
army to help them defeat Japan. Chinese troops held their own against Japan’s best efforts. The
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Japanese army launched a devastating attack in 1944, designed to force surrender, but the Chinese
maintained their position and did not give in. By early 1945, China was able to retake two major
southern cities. Finally, Japan surrendered in September of 1945 after the U.S. dropped atomic bombs
on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing at least 129,000 people.
To punish Japan for its imperialist ways and its brutal actions during the war, the victorious European
powers revoked all of the land Japan’s had conquered since the late 1800s and returned the territories
to China. They also removed Japan from the Korean peninsula. In 1947, Japan adopted a new
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constitution and a parliamentary system of government, which is still in effect today.
© 2016. Japan's Quest for Empire by CommonLit is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
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Pearl Harbor is a U.S. Navy base in Hawaii. The bombing of Pearl Harbor inspired the U.S. to enter World War II on
the side of the Allied Powers, turning the tide of the war, and also leading up to the United States’ atomic bombing of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The attack on Pearl Harbor is remembered in a national holiday in the United States on
December 7.
Devastating (adjective): very harmful or damaging
The constitution of a country or organization is the system of laws which formally states people's rights and duties.
A parliamentary system is a democratic system of government where the parliament is similar to the law-making
legislative branch (the Senate and the Congress) in the United States.
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Text-Dependent Questions
Directions: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences.
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PART A: Which TWO of the following statements best identify the central ideas of this
text?
A.
B.
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B.
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[RI.4]
Manchuria’s government helped the Chinese benefit from its natural resources
Manchuria’s government was militaristic, led completely by Chinese forces
Manchuria’s government was a source of global entertainment across East Asia
Manchuria’s government was set up to actually serve Japan.
PART B: Which phrase from paragraph 5 best supports the answer to Part A?
A.
B.
C.
D.
[RI.1]
“In 1894 they fought a war with China over who would rule the Korean
peninsula” (Paragraph 2)
“Emperor Hirohito rose to power in 1926. Under his rule, democratic reformers
achieved some political success,” (Paragraph 4)
“Due to strong feelings of nationalism, more leaders began to recognize the
benefits of using force to become a world power.” (Paragraph 4)
“Throughout the war they also brutally killed Chinese civilians who attempted to
use guerrilla warfare against them. Historians estimate that between 10 and 20
million Chinese people died by the end of the war.” (Paragraph 7)
“Japan joined Germany and Italy in the Second World War in 1940 and famously
bombed Pearl Harbor” (Paragraph 8)
“In 1947, Japan adopted a new constitution and a parliamentary system of
government, which is still in effect today.” (Paragraph 9)
PART A: What does the phrase “puppet government” most closely mean as it is used
in paragraph 5?
A.
B.
C.
D.
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Strong nationalism was a factor leading to Japan’s imperialism.
A failure to industrialize was the main force behind the expansion of Japan’s
empire.
During the Meiji Restoration, the rights of citizens improved.
Japan’s new constitution was created so its colonies would not be taxed without
representation.
Imperialist Japan committed acts of extreme violence.
Japan imitated the West by industrializing, modernizing, and civilizing their
neighbors.
PART B: Which TWO phrases from the text best support the answers to Part A?
A.
[RI.2]
[RI.1]
“In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria again”
“designed to serve Japanese needs and desires”
“They became very rich because of Manchuria’s vast natural resources”
“More troops tried to push farther north”
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Explain the relationship between nationalism and imperialism in Japan. Cite evidence [RI.3]
from the text in your response.
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Discussion Questions
Directions: Brainstorm your answers to the following questions in the space provided. Be prepared to
share your original ideas in a class discussion.
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In the context of this text, how does power corrupt? Is Japan’s grab for land and power
similar to the stories of other nations in history? To other people or groups of people? You
may cite evidence from history, literature, or your own experience in your response.
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How does history shape the lives of people today? What can we learn from the past moving
forward, or how does this history of Japan explain global relationships in the modern
world?
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