Occupation era
Under General MacArthur the Japanese were punished, and demilitarized, but rebuilt into an economic and democratic powerhouse in the mold of the U.S.
New Constitution replaced the Meiji Constitution of 1889
- Small military, renounced war, bicameral legislature and universal suffrage with guaranteed human rights
- Promoted competition in economy, broke up monopolies and started unions, reform farms for personal ownership and use and remold education to produce individuals, not robots
- independent in 1951
- US signed an alliance with Japan, Japan had to renounce its former colonies
The Transformation of Modern Japan: Politics and Gov’t
- Japan became stable and fully democratic
- 2 parties
- Liberal Democratic party has ruled, almost unchecked at times, since the 1950s
Japan the
- Japan is really a unitary government and the government plays a major role in regulating the economy. It is more intrusive than in the U.S.
- businesses want the government to back off to allow them more control to compete
Atoning for the Past
Ministry of Education textbook scandal had sought to tone down or even ignore Japan’s atrocities in the war and when new books came out that told of these, Japanese citizens railed against them
Japan Economy
-pass European economies
japan occupation reform
gave the people the land, where ½ of Japanese people lived
Japanese miracle
- Became the largest exporting country on Earth and better than Europe
- Japan’s frugalness, ease of cooperation, ability to take care of their own families, and thus need less government help, and drive for education
- Japan’s industries were totally brand new after the war and that Japan was not allowed to spend a lot on the military (only 1% of GDP)
- Some also claimed unfair practices by Japan, like discouraging imports
The Miracle Tarnished
- Japan slipped into a still ongoing recession in the 90s just when people thought they would ascend as the most dominant country
- They probably peaked for a small country
- Many have been laid off, including a large proportion of women, which leads to calls of discrimination
- Japan is finally allowing for competition in industry and food imports and better products as companies learn to compete for real
society in transition
to eliminate the overly patriotic and discriminatory ideas
pressure to confrom
- powerful
- Japanese are more loyal to companies than in the West
- Difference between wealth and poverty are also less
- Also have only 1% of people on welfare compared to 10% in U.S.
- Longer school year, more emphasis on work, 100% literacy and better scores than compared to West, but also harsh at times
- Schooling is still highly group oriented and hurts individuality, but that is changing (which leads to good and bad with anti- comformity and crime)
women in Japanese society
- still not a lot of upper job opportunities and still have to overcome ingrained sexism (much like the U..S. with racism).
- 50% of workforce, but have less opportunities and pay than men
- Is a feminist movement, but not very powerful
- Women still covet roles in the home and do most of the work there
- However, Japan’s divorce rate is far lower than in the U.S.
The demographic
- Highest elderly population of any industrialized nation today (23%)
- This will only grow by 2024 it will be 1/3 because of decreased fertility and few immigrants (1%)
- This will cause economic problems in jobs, but discrimination against foreigners is high in Japan
Religion and culture
- Buddhism and Shinto (spirit worship in nature)
- Overall their society remains in flux
Chiang Kai-shek
founded the Republic of China on Taiwan after he fled
Taiwan Under Nationalist Rule
Actually helped by Japan’s occupation the prior 50 years with modern economy and educated population
Taiwan reformed
- agricultural production, with large farms taken and sold to small farmers.
- Doubled food production
Taiwan government
- Government helped with industry and they encouraged manufacturing and exporting to the point that Taiwan was industrial power in E. Asia by the 1970s
- kept traditional Chinese practices and Confucian traditions
- Government was not democratic and ruled by the Nationalist Party and led to some problems with Taiwanese Chinese and “mainlanders”
Standard of living
increased, poverty declined and literacy rates were high
Crafting a Taiwanese Identity
- the ROC became more democratic
- 1990s there were free elections and legal competitors to the Nationalist Party
- Much debate since the 1990s if the ROC (Taiwan) would reunite with China or stay independent.
In 1963 General Park Chung Hee led a coup and eventually created
a democracy, with himself elected leader
Korean model reformed
the economy and encouraged industry under government control, sold off large land estates to small farmers like in Japan and Taiwan
S. Korea 1989
-became democratic with elections
S. Korea currently
- are strong economically and have their first woman president, Park Guen-hye
- However impeached for corruption and currently in jail
S. Korea and N. Korea
- problems still exist and unity isn’t imminent
- Their economy rivals, and surpasses in some ways, that of Japans