Discuss The Role Of Imperialism In Japan

The Meiji Restoration of 1868 led to administrative modernization and subsequent rapid economic developments. But Japan did not possess enough natural resources to cope with the rising demand. She needed both overseas markets and sources of raw materials, fuelling a drive for imperial conquest which began with the Sino-Japanese War in 1894, followed by expansions in Korea and Manchuria. The internal and external circumstances at that time enabled Japan’s expansion in East Asia.

One internal factor that favoured Japan’s expansionst policy towards China and Korea was the growth of Japanese extreme nationalism and Shintoism. This was because in the 1880s and 1890s, political condition in Japan was unstable. In the 1880s, there was the People’s
In 1884, the pro-Japanese group in Korea staged a coup with Japanese troops but they were suppressed by Yuan Shikai. However, as China was fighting with France at the same time, she wanted to avoid war. Li Hongzhang signed the Li-Ito Convention or Treaty of Tianjin with Japan in 1885. The treaty stated that China and Japan had to inform each other if either side decided to send troops to Korea in future. China’s claim to exclusive authority over Korea ended and Japan achieved same status with Japan in Korea. Japan’s right to send troops was confirmed. Korea became a co-protectorate of China and Japan. But rivalry between China and Japan over Korea finally reached a crisis in 1894. Anti-Chinese feelings in Japan grew due to the murder of a Korean pro-Japanese leader in Shanghai. On 1 August 1894 the First Sino-Japanese War broke out. The Chinese army and navy were so weak that they were repeatedly defeated by the Japanese during the 9 months of the war. China was forced to make peace. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki in April 1895. Korea’s independence was recognized and it opened the way for Japanese penetration in
Russia later even obtained the peninsula (Lushun and Dalian) in 1898. Though Japan gained prestige and some indemnity due to its military aid in suppressing the Boxer Uprising in 1899-1901, she was still alarmed and this led to the formation of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance in 1902. The alliance gave Japan the confidence to challenge Russia over Manchuria without fear of French or German intervention. In view of the alliance, Russia signed the Manchurian Convention with Japan which stated that all Russian force would leave Manchuria in 18 months. This was another diplomatic victory to