The Meiji Restoration: Japan’s Modern Miracle

In the period lasting from 1603 to 1868, Japan withheld itself from global interactions, opting instead for a Sakoku period of forced isolationism. Aside from a singular Dutch trading port on the island of Dejima, no foreign traders, missionaries or military personnel were allowed into or out of Japan. This however ended abruptly in 1853, where the modern military of the United States forced trading relations through their ‘gunboat diplomacy’ tactics. This directly led to the Meiji Restoration – widely regarded as Japan’s modernising revolution, ushering in a new era of unrivalled growth and remarkable development. 

Prior to the revolution, feudal daimyō would rule over districts of the country from their castles, with the Shōgun acting as a central authority figure to the nation. This system had kept the country locked in a vice of feudalism, with an inability to combat the known threat of Western Imperialists, which would soon look upon Japan as a potential new colony. This was well-understood by the Chōshū and Satsuma domains which went to war with the Tokugawa, achieving victory by 1868 and installing the young Emperor Meiji on the throne of Japan. This violent revolution marked a significant shift in Japanese history, putting the feudal era in the past and marking the start of a rapid modernisation programme.  

Politically, the revolution accelerated Japanese development to advance the nation in ways that took Europe centuries of progress. The reinstation of the emperor led to higher centralisation, moving the capital to Tokyo with Meiji’s ascension and reestablishing control in a divine ruler, rather than diluted amongst the daimyō warlords. This centralisation brought with it a new tax code, revolution of the economic structure of the country, and the replacing of the feudal class system that had stood for centuries. The creation of a new government also meant the end of the samurai class, replacing the traditional warriors with a national army and navy, as advised by German, French and British military missions. This military restructuring allowed for greater imperial aspirations, hence the Russo-Japanese war and both Sino-Japanese wars can be traced to Meiji origins. By vesting complete control of a unified military in the Emperor as per Articles 10 to 14 of the Meiji constitution, Japan established itself as an imperial power, joining the great global powers rather than being subjugated by them. 

The cultural impacts of the Meiji Restoration were also immense, propelling Japan into a golden era of rapid change. Shintō had always been the most popular religion across the country, but the Meiji restoration established it as a national religion, which all civilians had to practice in the public sphere. Over 100,000 shrines were created and redeveloped across the nation, and the religion became a compulsory component of the newly established national curriculum. These changes in religion were also coupled with the tolerance of other religions, with Christian missionaries now able to live and work inside the Japanese borders. This diversity of religion marked a large change in culture, installing traditional spiritual values in the Japanese people while also allowing for foreign people to freely move to Japan without fear of persecution –a clear sign of a modern nation. 

Education was also powerfully reformed by the revolution, replacing the regional hankô and terakoya systems of the past with the Ministry of Education in 1871. The ministry of education introduced mathematics, literacy, history and the sciences for all children, drastically increasing the qualification of the Japanese workforce. The Meiji reforms also kickstarted higher education institutions in Japan, with the University of Tokyo soon founded after the Meiji Restoration. This premium education, modelled on Western curricula, allowed for the highly qualified Japanese worker which has dominated the Asian continent for economic performance. 

The long-lasting influences of the Meiji Restoration are countless, and the Japanese growth since 1868 has been unique to modern history. No other country reformed from a feudal society to a great imperial power in such a short period of time, with the militarisation process rivalling British and German rates of armament. The cultural shifts in Japan were remarkable, adopting a unifying state religion and giving a new middle class the opportunity to develop modern elements to the Japanese nation. Future generations would develop global brands from Nintendo to Honda, with creative freedom unknown before Meiji’s ascension. By the time of the death of Emperor Meiji in 1912 Japan was no longer a feudal hermit state, but a modernised and powerful nation, which would only advance to new economic heights by the end of the 20^th century. 

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