History of Japan: Edo Period to Modernization

Study Notes

Japan, located in the North Pacific Ocean, was an isolated country from the outside world for over 200 years due to its national seclusion policy during the Edo period.
Isolation began under the Tokugawa shogunate, a feudal military government, in the 1600s. The emperor only ruled in name while shoguns held real power.
In 1543, Portuguese traders arrived on the island of Tanegashima, initiating direct commercial and cultural exchange between Japan and the West.
Fearing the influence of Christianity and Western powers, the shogun issued the Sekoku policy, which isolated Japan and imposed the death penalty on foreigners entering and Japanese leaving the country.
Japan opened up in 1853 when Commodore Matthew Perry arrived with a fleet of American warships demanding a trade agreement.
The Meiji Restoration followed, paving the way for Japan to become a modernized world power.
Emperor Meiji implemented a comprehensive reform called the Meiji Restoration, which led to major political, economic, and social changes, including the adoption of a parliamentary constitution and the modernization of the Imperial Japanese Army.
Japan expanded its territory, annexing the Ryukyu Kingdom and invading Taiwan, Korea, and Manchuria, leading to the Russo-Japanese War and the occupation of France's Indochina.
Japan joined the Axis Powers during World War II and launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, triggering the outbreak of the war.
Following World War II, Japan revived and transformed its economy, becoming the world's second largest capitalist economy until recently, and a world leader in the automotive and electronics industries.
Japan's popular culture, including video games, anime, and manga, became a worldwide phenomenon.
Japan is the 11th most populous country and has a powerful military.