ffitr*
gs
THU Mur.rr RustoRATIoN
nv JePAN
e#
-g%
Far-reaching changes transformed the lives of the Japanese people during the second half
.l
of the 19th century. In 1853 854, ships from the United States appeared in Edo (Tokyo)
harbor, pressuring the Tokugawa shoguns to end the policy of isolation they had enforced
for more than two centuries. For the next'1 5 years, the country was racked by political
turrnoil and economic crisis, the latter development a result of japan's sudden plunge
into the global economy. Finally,
in
1867-1868, the daimyo from two of the largest
domains, Satsuma and Choshu, joined forces to overthrow the rule of the shoguns in the
name of "restoring" the full authority of the emperor.
ln the midst of the 1 867-1868 crisis, a new emperor-a teenager-acceded to the
throne, choosing the name Meiji (Enlightened Rule) for his reign, which lasted until
1912.Too young to lead the Japanese state, the emperor depended upon a coalition of
samurai to rule on his behalf. ln an astonishing turnabout, they quickly dismantled the
essentials of the Tokugawa system-ending the privileges of their own social class-and
launched iapan on a course of thoroughgoing modernization.
Between 1871 and 1873, about half of the Meiji leaders went on an extended study
tour of the United States, Europe, and Russia, where they spent much time visiting governmental agencies, universities, and factories. Returning home with new knowledge and
a host of paid consultants, the Meiji leaders set about establishing modern legal and
banking systems, a railway network, a national army and navy, awestern-style system of
education, and a framework for constitutional rule. The results were truly amazing. Two
brief and victorious wars, against China in 1894 1895 and Russia 10 years later, demonstrated that Japan had become one of the imperialist Creat Powers. No other country outside the West so transformed itself in the 19th century.
How do ihe selections illustrate major features of the Meiji Restoration? What
explains the distinctiveness of Japan in the 19th century?
Selections, I,
II, and V from Rl,usaku Tsunoda, Wm. Theodore
cle Bar1,, and Donald Keene, eds.,
(Neu.York: Columbia Universitv Press, Ig58), pp. 103, 137, 206-209.
Selection IIl fromJaNtan: A Docurnen.lary Hislor1, ed. :rncl trans. bv DavidJ. Lu (Atmonk, N.Y: M. E. Sharpe,
1997), pp. 321-322. Translation coppight 1997 bl Davicl J. I-u. Reprinted rvith perrnission fi-om
M. E. Sharpe, Inc. Selections IV.A., IV.B., and IV.C fiom "Farrners Petition, Silk \r\brkers and Miners
Dtrring Industr-ialization" fiom Mikiso Hrne, Peasants, fubels, Wonten, and Outcasts: The (lnduside of Mod,
rn Japan, 2nd ed. (Lanhan, MD: Rowman Lirtle{ield, 2003), pp. 23, 182, 184, 186-187, 228-229.
Rcprinted by pelmission of Rowman & Littlefield. Selecti<n V fior.n Donald Roden, "Baseball and the
Quest for National Dignity in MeijiJapan," Atnetica,n Historit:ul Rnieut85.3 (J1ne 1g80), pp. 533-534.
Reprinted by permission.
Sourccs of.lapanese Tradition, Vo1.
195
lI
Chapter 25
/
The Meiji Restoration in Japan
MEIJI DOCUMENTS
I. A GENTLEMAN'S FiVE PLEASURES
[Sakuma Shozan ( 18 I 1-1851) tl)as a samurai Jrom a domain ( f,ef ) in the nortlt ofJapan who
for an end to the Tbhugawa ltoliq of isolation, for uhi,ch he spent dght yars in prison.
Shortly afier his release in 1862, Sakuma urote the book f'rom which the following excerpt comes.
He was assassinated in 1864 b1 samurai who sought to preserue the poliq of "closed country."J
argued
The gentleman has five pleasures, but wealth and rank are not among them. That his
house understands decorum and righteousness and rernains free from family riftsthis is one pleasr.rre. That exercising care in giving to and taking from others, he provides for himself honestly, free, internally, from shame before his wife and children,
and externally, from disgrace before the public-this is the second pleasr-rre. That he
expounds and glorifies the learning of the sages, knows in his heart the great Way,
and in all situations contents himself with his duqr, in adversiq,as well as in prosperity-this is the third pleasure. That he is born after the opening of the vistas of
science by the Westerners, and can therefore understand principles not known to the
sages and wise men of old-this is the fourth pleasure. That he employs the ethics of
the East and the scientific technique of the West, neglecting neither the spiritual nor
material aspects of life, combining subjectir.,e and objective, and thus bringing benefit
to the people and serl.ing the nation-this is the lifth pleasure.
II. THE CHARTER OATH,
[On April B, 1868, the Metji
lry the
1B6B
emNteror issued the
following statement
of
principles drawn up
samurai uho led the oaerthrow of the Tbkugawa regime.l
By this oath we set up as our aim the establishment of the national rveal on a broad
basis and the framing of a constitution and laws.
1. Deliberative
assemblies shall be widely established and all matters decided
by public discussion.
classes, high and low, shall unite in vigoror.rsly carrying out the administration of affairs of state.
2. All
3.
4.
5.
The common people, no less than civil and military officials, shall each be
allowed to pursue his own calling so that there may be no discontent.
Evil customs of the past shall be broken off and everything based on the
just laws of Nature.
Knowledge shall be sought throughout the world so as to strengthen the
foundations of imperial rule.
IIL OKUBO TOSHIMICHi: ON THE ROLE OF THE
IN ]NDUSTRIALIZATION, 1874
STATE
[Okubo Tbshimichi (1830-1878), a samurai from Satsunta domain, 70as one of the most
important leaders of the ear$ Meiji gouernment. He was assassinated in 1878 b1 ad,uocates oJ
democratic reforms.l
197
198
SectionTwo
/
The Long l9th Century:1750-1914
Generally speaking, the strength or weakness of a country is dependent on the wealth
or poverty of its people, and the people's wealth or poverty derives from the amount
of available products. The diligence of the people is a major factor in determining
the amount of products available, but in the final analysis, it can all be traced to the
guidance and encouragement given by the government and its officials. . . .
We have come to a point where all the internal conflicts have ceased, and the
people can now enjoy peace and can securely engage in their respective callings.
This is the most opportune time for the government and its officials to adopt a
protective policywhich has as its goal the enhancement of people's livelihood. . . .
Anyone who is responsible for a nation or its people must give careful consideration to the matters which enhance the livelihood of the people, including the benefits to be gained from industrial production and the convenience derived from
maritime and land transportation. He must set up a system suitable to the country's
natural features and convention, taking into account the characteristics and intelligence of its people. Once that system is established it must be made the pivot of the
country's administrative policies. Those industries which are already developed must
be preserved, and those which are not in existence must be brought into being.
An example can be found in England which is a very small country. However,
she is an island nation and has excellent harbors. She is also richly endowed with
mineral resources. Her government and its officials have considered it the greatest
fulfillment of their duties when they have made full use of their natural advantages,
and have brought about maximum findustrial] development. In this endeavor the
Queen and her subjects have put together their ingenuity and created an unprece-
dented maritime law in order to monopolize the maritime transportation of the
world and to enhance her national industries. . . .
In this way her industries have prospered, and there has always been a surplus
after providing the necessary commodities to her people. . . .
It is true that time, location, natural features and convention are not the same
for each country, and one must not always be dazzled by the accomplishments of
England and seek to imitate her blindly. . . .
Howeveq our topography and natural conditions show similarities to those of
England. \Ahat differs most is the feebleness in the temperament of our people. It
is the responsibility of those who are in the administrative positions in the government to guide and importune those who are weak in spirit to work diligently in the
industries and to endure them. Your subject respectfully recommends that a clearcut plan be established to find the natural advantages we enjoy, to measure the
amount by which production can be increased, and to determine the priorities
under which industries may be encourased [subsidized]. It is further recommended that the characteristics of our people and degree of their intelligence may
be taken into account in establishing legislation aimed at encouraging development of industries. Let there not be a person who is derelict in performing his
work. Let there not be a fear of anyone unable to have his occupation. If these
goals can be attained the people can reach a position of adequate wealth. If the
people are adequately wealthy, it follorvs naturally that the country will become
strong and wealthy. . . . If so, it will not be difficult for us to compete effectively
against major powers. This has alrvays been your subject's sincere desire. He is even
more convinced of the necessity of its implementation today, and is therefore submitting humbly his recommendations for Your Majesty's august decision.
Chapter 25
/
The Meili Restoration
inJapan 199
IV. FARMERS, SILK WORKERS, AND MINERS DURING
INDUSTRIALIZATION
A. Rural Indebtedness in the LBB0s
[High land
taxes (the reaenue from uthich Ji'nanced
manl of the Meiii
re.forms) and
falling
prices fctr.farm products led to a flood of rural bankruptcies in Japnn during the l8B0s. Th,e
following petition, drawn up try a prosperous farmer in Kanagawa prefecture, utas presented
to the authoritie.s
in
1881.1
The 200,000 people of this prefecture are unable to repay their debts because of
declining prices and the depressed state of the silkworm business and textile
industry in general. They are plagued day and night with worries, sorroq frustration, and hardship. People are being crushed underfoot by the usurers as if they
were ants. The demonstration by the members of the Debtors' Party in this prefecture in mid-1884 proved to be fruitless; all we got was a lecture from the authorities. No leniency or generosity was fbrthcoming. . . . Under current conditions
[the debtors] can find no way to repay their debts. I beg your excellencies to allow
sentiments of moraliry and benevolence to come forth and, even if the letter of
the law has to be distorted a little, to adopt measures that would aid the impoverished people.
B. Working Conditions in the Silk Factoties, ca.
1.900
[Silh t:loth produced in modern factories that were stalfed large\ lry uotnen, anr] children utas
a kading Meiji industry. The passages that follow inchrde the testimony of tuto .si.lk, workers on
conditions alrrund 1900 and a, portion of a, 1 906 gouernment report on the silh factories.l
1
From morning, while it was still dark, we worked in the lamplit lactory till ten at
night. After work, we hardly had the strength to stand on our feet. \,{rhen rve
worked late into the night, they occasionally gave Lrs a yam. \A'e then had to do our
washing, fix our hair, and so on. By then it would be eleven o'clock' There was no
heat even in the winter, and so lve had to sleep huddled together. Several of the
girls ran back to Hida. I was told that girls who went to work before my time had a
harder time. We were not paid the first year. In the second year I got 35 yen, and
the following year, 50 yen. I felt that it was not a place for a weak-r,villed person like
me. If we didn't do the job right we were scolded, and, if we did better than others,
the others resented it. The life of a woman is really au,{ul.
2
The end of the cocoon fiber is visible, but inexperienced workers and those with
pooreyesighthaddifficultyfindingit.Sother,wor.rlduseasmallbrrrshtoscratch
the cocoon [to find the end], which often shredded the cocoon fibers, however. If
this happened, the r,vorkers were bawled out. Also we were instructed to entwine
the fibers evenly, but an inexperienced worker would carelessly twine several fibers
together, causing the silk thread to be uneven and have knotted spots. Also, when
the cocoons were steamed too long, they lost their luster and the fibers tended to
break. It really was a difficult task.
SectionTwo
/
The Long l9th Century:1750-1914
3
Q: Do you get scolded?
A: We are taken to a room next to the office
and are reprimanded there. We are
also beaten. And, until we show a change of heart, we are kept there in the dark
for
several days.
Q: Are you fed?
A: No.
Q: Are there other forms of punishment?
A: If anyone steals something she is stripped naked and marched around the factory with a flag attached to her shoulders. They then take her to the dining hall
and report her misdeed to everybody. . . . This spring a girl in rhe next room rook
geta lwooden clogs], which her roomrnate purchased for 70 sen. She was stripped
naked, had the getaand a red flag bearing the words "getathief" strapped to her
shoulders, and was then marched around the factory.
Q: Do youngsters of seven and eight r,vork only during the day or do they work at
night, too?
A: They work at night, too. Since the supervisors are strict during the day, the children clean up the plant. But at night things are less closely supervised, so they
don't do much cleaning. Even in the winter we wear only one unlined kimono.
Q: Do young workers work through the night?
A: They do but sometimes they say they will not go to rvork unless they are given
some candy. So the officials give them some. But if they ask for candy often, they
are not given any. They go to work crying.
Q: Do they fall asleep in the factory?
A: If they fall asleep they are scolded and beaten.
Q:
Do they get paid?
A: They are paid 8 sen. Then 7 sen is deducted for food, so they get only 1 sen.
Q: Are children charged 7 sen, too?
A: They are charged the same amount lfor food as the adultsl .
Q: Are there many young children?
A: There are about ten workers rvho are seven or eight. There are many who are
ten years old.
C. Coal Miners
[CoaLmining expanded rapid$ during the Meiji era, fueling the growth of modern industry
and, Lihe silh cloth, becoming a major source of export earnings. The following report on conditions in the mines is based on the obseruations of a magazine uriter in the 1880s.1
The temperature got hotter the farther down in the mine I went. At the most
extreme point it reached 120' to 130' F. The miners have to labor under this heat.
Their bodies are constantly covered with pouring sweat. The air is stifling and it is
difficult to breathe. The smell of coal makes it almost unbearable. Despite such
appalling working conditions, the company rules do not allow even one second of
rest. The deputy crew boss patrols the work area, and if he sees a miner slacking his
pace even for an instant he beats him with his club. These deputy crew bosses are
like monsters and demons. If a miner asks permission to rest because of fatigue, or
if he disobeys the crew boss, he is punished as an example to others. His hands are
Chapter 25
/
The Meiji Restoration in
Japan 201
tied behind him and he is strung up by the beam, with his feet slightly above
ground. Then he is clubbed while the other miners are forced to watch the beating.
If a miner, unable to bear the harsh conditions, tries to escape and is caught and
brought back he is then kicked, beaten, strung up, and generally treated in a brutal
and cruel fashion by the guards. No human being could behave as atrociously fas
these guardsl . There is no other way to identify them except to call them devils.
I heard that when a cholera epidemic struck this island mine in 1844, half of
the 3,000 miners, over 1,500, were struck by the epidemic and died. \{hether the
victims were dead or not, the day after they contracted cholera they were taken
to the beach, and five to ten of them at a time were placed on an iron platform
and burned.
V. BASEBALL COMES TO JAPAN
ffapanese boys.from elite circles first embraced baseba,ll in the 1890s. They learned the game
.from. members of the large community of expatriate Americans in Yokohama, the port of
Tokyo. From the Yohohama Athletic C[,ub, the sport spread to preparatory schools in Tohlo
and other cities. The Japanese boys were quick studies. Around the turn of the century, a
'fokyo school defeated o,n American all-star team
from Yokohama eleuen times
from one
attended
the
games a,nd there was much,
out of twelue, oftu, 4 lopsided scctres. Large crowd,s
"Baseball
in
celebration
of the Japanese
press coaerage. The
Club Rouser" was written
team
aictories.
l
BASEBALL CLUB ROUSER
I
Among literary and martial arts pursued
In the righteous air of the First Higher School
Baseball stands especially high
With its spirit of honor that refuses to die.
il
The crack ofthe bat echoes to the sky
On cold March mornings when we chase balls on the ice
Year in and year out, through wind and rain
Enduring all herdship. we praclice our game.
m
While the years have seen many a foe
Come to our schoolyard where strone winds blow
Upon touching the sleeves of our armoured knights
We turn them away, speechless with fright.
N
The valorous sailors from
Detroit, Kentuckl, and Yorktoutn
Whose furious batting can ilrrimidate a cyclone
Threw off their helmets, their energies depleted
Behold how pathetically they run away defeated.
t}:,e
202
SectionTwo / The Long Igth Centurp 1750-1914
v
Courageously, we marched nventy miles south
To fight the Americans in Yokohama
Though they boast of the game as their national sport
Behold the games they have leftwith no score.
VI
Ah, for the glory of our Baseball Club!
Ah, for the glitter it has castl
Pray that our martial valor never turns submissive
And ttrat our honor will always shine far across the Pacffic.
STUDY OUESTIONS
How do the first three selecLions illustrate how the Meiji Restoration was both
conservative in some respects and innovative in others?
2. \,\4eat do the documents in section fV illustrate about working conditions in the
factories and mines during the Meiji era?
3. How does the ':Baseball Club Rouser" suggest both openness to the world and
the rise ofJapanese nationalism? \A4rat major international events did the writing of the song coincide with?
4. \A/hy do you think baseball rather than soccer (see Chapter 31) caught on in
have resonated with traditions
Japan? How might skill with a baseball bat
l.
important toJaPanese males?
changes inJapan during the Meiji decades?
can
be
detected in the Meiii documents?
What hints of future troubles
5. How do you ."ptuin the dramatic