Frosty Stuff

The spirit of the Japanese nation is, by its nature, a thing that must be propagated over the seven seas and extended over the five continents. Anything that may hinder it must be abolished, even by force. —Army Minister Sadao Araki, January 23, 1933    The post–World War I economy wreaked havoc on many nations, Japan included. Due to the postwar production slowdown, increased trade barriers and tariffs imposed by the West, and economic strains caused by the Great Kanto Earthquake, Japan fell into an economic depression two years before the global Great Depression began in 1930.   Thirty-seven banks were forced to close after Japanese citizens tried to cash in government-issued earthquake bonds that had been sold to raise funds for reconstruction. The economic crisis brought down the civilian government and brought to power the zaibatsu, family-controlled businesses that held monopolies within the Japanese Empire and kept close ties, and influence, with the civilian ...

With the death of Emperor Meiji in 1912 a great deal of uncertainty about Japan’s future followed. His first son, Yoshihito, ascended to the throne and took the name Taisho, ushering in the next era. The young Taisho emperor was born in 1879 and at an early age contracted cerebral meningitis. The ill effects of the disease, including physical weakness and episodes of mental instability, plagued him throughout his reign. Because of his sickness there was a shift in the structure of political power from the old oligarchic advisors under Meiji to the members of the Diet (parliament) of Japan—the elected representative officials increasingly gaining influence and power. Japan was seemingly on course to become a democracy. By 1919 Emperor Taisho’s illness prevented him from performing any official duties altogether. By 1921 Hirohito, his first son, was named prince regent of Japan. From this point forward, Emperor Taisho no longer appeared in public. Despite the lack of political stability,...

  Expressions of Imperialism By the turn of the twentieth century, Japan began to develop its own imperial ambitions. With its growing population and need for natural resources, it began to pursue its expansionist ambitions more aggressively. It established a military draft in 1872, forcing all able-bodied males between the ages of 17 or 18 and 35, regardless of class, to serve a mandatory term of three years in the reserves and subjecting them to the military draft at age 20. Many Japanese, including peasants and samurai, opposed mandatory military service. For the samurai it signaled the end of their social standing, as they were now sharing military service with what they called “dirt farmers.” For the peasants, the expectation of military service was viewed as a “blood tax” since the idea of dying for Japan, the nation that gave them so little, was not welcomed. Nevertheless, the militarization of Japan escalated. Japanese historian Marius Jansen explains, “After decades of wea...

  Knowledge shall be sought throughout the world so as to strengthen the foundations of imperial rule. —1868 Meiji Pledge  With Emperor Meiji’s ascension to the throne in 1867, Japan theoretically restored power to the emperor after centuries of rule by the Shogun, but because he was only 15 years old he had little governing power. Instead, the power rested with the new government consisting of a small, close-knit cabinet of advisers. This new cabinet immediately began implementing a series of reforms to both strengthen and unify Japan. One of their largest concerns was that Japan would not be able to stay independent if it did not modernize. The 1853 surprise visit by the United States Navy, headed by  Commodore Perry, made the stunning superiority in Western weapons and transportation clear to everyone. The question was, what should Japan do about it?  The goals of the early leaders of the Meiji era were ambitious, as they established new economic, political, and s...