JAPAN
Mejii Restoration

Japan's rise to an industrial power began during the Mejii restoration.    They modeled their economy, education and naval forces after the British. Japan is in a similar geographic position to Britain [jpeurop] [jpasia] – an island off of a historically hostile continent.

The Meiji Restoration reformers sought to change Japan’s insular position especially after Americans had negotiated trade agreements unfavorable to Japan in the 1850’s.  Japanese planners sought to build on the existing light manufacturing base of textiles, porcelain, wood products, and metal goods. They moved the capital from the ancient capital of Kyoto [jpcity] to Tokyo on the sea coast to take advantage of access to the shipping lanes.

The Meiji reformers recognized their experienced and disciplined workforce and a strong military tradition and sought to build on these strengths.  Their liabilities included a limited natural resource base [jpresdep].   Important commodities had to be purchased and imported (coal and iron ore and later petroleum).  There was a resistance to foreign capital to stimulate growth.   Eventually Japan’s industry diversified producing armaments as well as consumer goods.  Over the next 70 years Japan embarked on an aggressive colonization [jpempire] program with the intentions of providing the resource base needed for expanding industrialization – eventually proposing a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity sphere; a de facto colonial realm that would combine all of China, Southeast Asia and numerous Pacific Islands-with Japan in charge.

 [The text of the above was written by Scott Girhard, San Antonio College from his online course GEOG 1301 World Geography. Used with permission.]