IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : History Of China and Japan (1840-1949) - Japanese Imperialism upto The Second World War

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

History Of China and Japan (1840-1949)

Japanese Imperialism upto The Second World War

Structure

25.0 Objectives
25.1 Introduction
25.2 Imperialism : Definitions and Debates
25.3 The Framework of Japanese Expansion
25.3.1 The Initial Phase
25.3.2 Japan's Formal Empire
25.3.3 Colonial Administration
25.3.4 Economic Relations with the Colonies
25.4 Ideologies of Expansion
25.5 Colonial Policy : Assumptions and Premises
25.6 Japan Expansionist Policy since 1931
25.6.1 Establishment of hl.nchokoo
25.6.2 Continued Aggression in China
25.6.3 Japan Joins the Axis Powers
25.6.4 World War-Il
25.7 Let Us Sum up
25.8 Key' Words
25.9 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

25.0 OBJECTIVES

After reading this Unit you will be able to know about :

the chief characteristics of Japanese imperialism,
the extent and nature of control Japan exercised over its formal and informal empire,
how Japan strengthened its hold on China,
the objectives and ideology of pan-Asianism, and
the social and political groups behind Japanese expansion.

25.1 INTRODUCTION

The transformation of Japan in the middle of the nineteenth century was
accompanied by the building up of a network of relations with other countries. Japan
had been relatively isolated from the rest of the world and had followed a policy of
"closed country" (sakoku). However, as we have seen earlier (Unit- 18 Block 5) this
did not mean that Tokugawa Japan had no dealings with other cpuntries. Tokugawa
Japan had cut off relations with the Western nations but continued to maintain
diplomatic relations with Korea and sought to establish a basis of equality with
China. This experience enabled the Japanese to come to terms with the Western
powers when they ford Japan to enter into diplomatic relations and open itself to
foreign trade.