Table of contents

Topic Page Number

Abstract Page-2
Introduction Page-2
Meiji oligarchy Page-4
The most prominent Page-6
politicians of the Meiji era.

The collapse of the Page-7

Shogunate.
Political Changes Page-8
Military Development Page-9
Economic Growth Page-11
Education Page-13
Social Development Page-15
Transformation of Page-16
Traditional Japanese
Aesthetics of the Meiji Era
Conclusion Page-17
Reference Page-18
Abstract
The Meiji reforms were highly influential in establishing an empire in Asia. Imperialism may
be interpreted as expanding a nation's authority by obtaining more influence, territory, and
economic control over the region. To engage in imperialism in Asia, Japan had to develop a
centralized government, a powerful military, and a technologically advanced and cohesive
country working toward the same objective. They did this by adopting the Meiji reforms.

From 1868 to 1912, Japan went from a technologically impoverished nation to global power,
rapidly and convincingly defeating China and Russia. In addition, Japan had successfully
formed a parliament, adopted a constitution, developed a robust legal, financial, and
economic system, constructed a robust economy, and enhanced social welfare and education
standards. These modifications and implementations earned Japan international recognition
and esteem as a modern nation. Looking back, we can identify various causes that led to the
success of pursuing imperialism in Asia via implementing the Meiji reforms.

Keywords: Meiji, Japan, Military, Constitution, Economy, Culture, Education.

Introduction
At the start of the Meiji Era and Japan's modernization, The Meiji era began when the 16-year-
old emperor Mutsuhito chose the name for his reign. This period began with the fall of the
Tokugawa Shogunate and led to Japan's modernization. The transition from a feudal state to a
contemporary industrial state. Japan arose from Meiji Period and was a world power with a
parliamentary form of government and overseas military expansion. The Meiji regime originated
as an alliance between Satsuma and Tokyo, the two domains responsible for overthrowing the
Tokugawa Shogunate, with additional backing from the Tosa and Hizen kingdoms. The regions
of Satsuma and Choshu confronted the formidable challenge of enforcing and preserving
national unity. Between January 1868 and June 1869, the new Meiji government engaged in a
civil war with the split Tokugawa and rebellious troops. The Tokugawa soldiers were ultimately
beaten, and the previous shogunate capital of Edo has renamed Tokyo and named the new
national capital. After assuming power, the Meiji administration tried to assure the populace that
the new system would be based on fairness and possibility. On April 6, 1868, the monarch issued
the Charter Oath and vowed that assemblies would be created to address all issues. The wicked
feudalistic practices of the past would be eradicated via public discourse. Abolished. Early
attempts were made to adopt the "assembly and public discussions" mentioned in the Charter
Oath, but the dictatorship soon reverted to a more rigid framework. However, the distinctions
between socioeconomic classes were distinct. Reforms eventually led to the creation of human
rights and religious freedom. In 1873, the United States achieved its independence. In 1889,
Japan adopted its first Constitution, modeled after the European model. A parliament named the
Diet was founded, while the emperor assumed his position as head of state, Figurehead.

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The emperor stood at the pinnacle of the army, navy, executive, and legislative powers. Elder
statesmen (genro) possessed the actual authority to govern the state. Parliamentary members
lacked cohesion at the time, preventing political parties from gaining substantial influence. In
1870, the old feudal lords (daimyo) were obliged to return their land to the emperor to
consolidate the new government. The restoration of land to the central government enabled a
more comprehensive collection of land tax and the ownership of land by the people. This
resulted in the reorganization of the country into prefectures, which is still in effect today. After
the French and German systems, the Meiji government reformed the education system.
Implementing a compulsory education system was the most significant and long-lasting of these
reforms. After around one or two decades of heavy westernization, a renaissance of conservative
and patriotic sentiments occurred: ideas of Confucianism and Shinto, including emperor worship,
were incredibly stressed and taught in educational institutions.

In a period of European and American imperialism, catching up militarily was a top objective for
Japan. This attitude resulted from the humiliating and unequal treaties Japan had to sign due to
its military inferiority compared to the West. The Meiji administration instituted universal
conscription and structured a new army and navy after the Prussian and British militaries.
Japanese intellectuals studied Western science and language overseas to convert Japan's
economy from rural to industrial, while foreign professionals taught in Japan. The government
also invested substantially in infrastructure projects such as train transportation and
communication networks. It also directly benefited the flourishing industries, particularly the
zaibatsu, which are influential family-owned firms. Massive industrialization-related spending
precipitated a financial crisis in the mid-1880s, which led to currency and banking system
changes. During the Meiji period, Japan participated in two successful conflicts. First, Japan and
China's competing interests in Korea precipitated the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. Japan
was to receive Taiwan and other areas from China, but Western forces compelled Japan to return
the territory. Second, 1904 saw the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War as a result of increased
tensions between Japan and Russia over Korea. In their triumph over a Western nation, the
Japanese army astonished the world and garnered respect. With the emperor's death on July 30,
1912, the Meiji era ended, as did the age of the genre. This period in Japanese history was
pivotal to the transition of feudal Japan into a modern industrialized state with a parliamentary
government system and Japan's development as a global power through its military exploits
overseas. The Meiji period ushered in profound political, economic, and social transformations
in Japan, laying the groundwork for modern Japan as we know it.

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Meiji Oligarchy

Meij
i Government

The Meiji oligarchy was the new governing elite in Japan during the Meiji period. The Meiji
oligarchy is known as the domain clique (hambatsu) in Japanese. The members of this class were
kokugaku adherents who believed they had created a new order as grand as the one established
by Japan's founders. Son of a Satsuma retainer, Kubo Toshimichi (1832–78), and Satsuma
samurai Saig Takamori (1827–77), who had joined forces with Chsh, Tosa, and Hizen to
overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate, were two prominent players in this group. Okubo and Saig
became ministers of finance and field marshals, serving as imperial counselors. Kido Koin
(1833–77), a native of Chsh, a student of Yoshida Shin, and a conspirator alongside Kubo and
Saig, served as minister of education, chairman of the Governors' Conference, and advocated for
constitutional governance. Iwakura Tomomi (1825–83), a native of Kyoto who had opposed the
Tokugawa and was to become the first ambassador to the United States, and Kuma Shigenobu
(1838–1922), of Hizen, a student of Rangaku, Chinese, and English who held various ministerial
portfolios before becoming prime minister in 1898, were also prominent.

The Meiji oligarchy intended to eradicate the four divisions of society via a series of economic
and social changes to achieve the new order's aims. Tokugawa shogunate finances relied on taxes
on Tokugawa and other daimyo domains, loans from affluent peasants and urban merchants,
restricted customs duties, and cautious acceptance of foreign loans. The new government-
financed harbor improvements, lighthouses, imports of machinery, schools, overseas study for
students, salaries for foreign teachers and advisers, modernization of the army and navy,
railroads and telegraph networks, and diplomatic missions such as the Iwakura mission to
generate revenue and establish a robust infrastructure.

Indicated by an increase in agricultural unrest, challenging economic conditions prompted calls

for social changes. In addition to the already exorbitant rents, taxes, and interest rates, the
ordinary citizen had to pay cash for additional taxes, military conscription, and tuition for the

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newly implemented mandatory schooling. As a result, people require more time for constructive
endeavors while addressing previous societal injustices. To implement these changes, the old
Tokugawa class structure of samurai, farmer, craftsman, and merchant was abolished by 1871.
All were technically equal before the law, notwithstanding the persistence of old biases and
status consciousness. The government contributed to the perpetuation of social differences by
naming new social classes: the previous daimyo became peerage nobility, the samurai became
gentthe ry, and everyone else became commoners. Pensions for daimyo and samurai were given
of the f in one single amount, and samurai eventually lost their exclusive entitlement to military
positions. Former samurai pursued new careers as administrators, teachers, army officers, police
officials, journalists, academics, colonists in northern Japan, financiers, and businesspeople.
These vocations helped alleviate some of the anger felt by this significant population; some
prospered enormously, but many failed and created substantial opposition in the following years.

The 1873 Korean crisis culminated in the resignations of Saig and Et Shimpei, two proponents of
a military invasion (1834–74). In 1874, Et, the creator of several patriotic groups, planned with
other disgruntled individuals to launch an armed uprising against government forces in Saga, the
capital of his home, Kish prefecture. Charged with suppressing the rebellion, Kubo promptly
subdued Et, who had unsuccessfully appealed to Saig for assistance. In the Satsuma Rebellion,
which occurred three years later, Saig played an active role in the final major armed uprising,
which posed the most severe challenge to the Meiji government. The army swiftly put down the
Saga Rebellion and other agricultural and samurai uprisings in opposition to the Meiji reforms.
Former samurai in Satsuma were numerous and had a long history of opposing central authority.
In 1877, Saig reluctantly and only after widespread discontent with the Meiji changes initiated a
revolt. Both sides battled valiantly, but the government troops' superior armament and funding
stopped the Satsuma Rebellion. Saig was not labeled a traitor despite being defeated and
committing suicide; he became a hero in Japanese history. The crushing of the Satsuma
Rebellion signaled the end of significant challenges to the Meiji rule, but it was sobering for the
aristocracy. The war devastated the national coffers, caused severe inflation, and drove down
land prices and much-needed taxes. Importantly, renewed requests for reform were made—a list
of prominent Meiji politicians

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Most prominent politicians of the Meiji era

From the Court nobility: Period

Iwakura Tomomi 1825-1883
Saionji Kinmochi 1849 - 1940
Sanjō Sanetomi 1837-1891

From Satsuma Domain: Period

Godai Tomoatsu 1836 -1885
Kuroda Kiyotaka 1840 -1900
Matsukata Masayoshi 1835 -1924
Mori Arinori 1847-1889
Ōkubo Toshimichi 1830 -1878
Oyama Iwao 1842 - 1916
Saiga ō Takamori 1827 -1877
Saigō Tsugumichi 1843 - 1902
Terashima Munenori 1836-1893

From Chōshū Domain: Period

Inoue Kaoru 1835 -1915
Itō Hirobumi 1841 -1909
Kido Takayoshi 1833 -1877
Ōmura Masujirō 1824 -1869
Takasugi Shinsaku 1837-1867
Yamagata Aritomo 1838 -1922
Katsura Tarō 1848-1913

From Tosa Domain: Period

Gotō Shōjirō 1838 -1897
Itagaki Taisuke 1837-1919
Sakamoto Ryōma 1836 -1867

From Hizen Domain: Period

Etō Shimpei 1834 -1874
Oki Takato 1832-1899
Ōkuma Shigenobu 1838-1922
Soejima Taneomi 1828-1905

Others: Period
Hayashi Tadasu 1850-1913
Inoue Kowashi 1844-1905
Katsu Kaishū 1823-1899
Yokoi Shonan 1809-1869
Yuri Kimimasa 1829-1912
Watanabe Kunitake 1846-1919
Suematsu Kenchō 1855-1920

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The collapse of the Shogunate

The End of the Shogunate and the Building of a Modern Japanese State

In July 1853, Commodore Matthew C. Perry landed in Japan, demanding that Japan open its
borders to U.S. trade. The Tokugawa shogunate decided that resisting with force was untenable
and had no option but to sign the Kanagawa Treaty with the United States in 1854. The
Kanagawa Treaty opened the ports of Shimoda and Hakodate to foreign ships for supplies and
repairs but did not include trading provisions. This was the first of a series of treaties the
Shogunate was compelled to sign with Western nations seeking commerce with Japan. These
unequal treaties benefitted the foreign counterpart because they granted extraterritorial rights and
the authority to determine Japanese tariff levels. The openness of Japan and how the treaties
were negotiated significantly weakened the Shogunate's already poor position. When Japanese
ports opened in 1859, a wave of anti-foreign sentiment swept the nation. The presence of
foreigners at these ports gave rise to slogans such as "Expel the Barbarians!" At this crucial
point, the shogun, Tokugawa Quesada, passed away without children, causing a succession
conflict. In addition, his incompetent replacement, Il Naosuke, was murdered in March 1860 by a
gang of Satsuma supporters. The situation became increasingly hard for the shogun. As the
number of Westerners in the treaty ports increased, violent confrontations broke out between
conservative feudal lords and outsiders. Rebellious samurai who believed they were participating
in the deportation regularly assaulted and occasionally murdered foreigners. The Western powers
asked that the shogun punish the vicious daimyos severely, but the shogun lacked the authority to
do so. On one side, the shogun had instructions from the emperor to evict the foreigner.
However, the shogun could not comply since he was helpless against the foreign gunboats'
cannons. Nor did he have the audacity to defy the emperor's commands outright since such an
affront to the legitimate head of state would not be accepted. iv

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Initially, the foreign minister was unaware of the relationship between the shogun and the
emperor. They saw the shogun as the country's central ruler and the emperor as a high priest.
Over time, they realized their error, and when it was time to renew a treaty, they approached the
emperor. British Minister Sir Harry Parkes urged the early opening of the Osaka port and a
decrease in customs duties. The emperor, terrified by the display of power, grudgingly accepted
the pact. This episode finally demonstrated the entire collapse of the shogunate governance,
resulting in the Meiji regime's destruction of the Tokugawa shogunate.

Political Changes

The Meiji Constitution is presented quite literally as a gift from the emperor .

Soon after the emperor's return to power, the new administration told the people it would build a
constitutional government. As a result, the Japanese Constitution was enacted in 1889,
recognizing many liberties and rights of the people, beginning with the right to political
participation. A year later, in 1890, a national parliament, the bicameral Diet, was constituted,
and the constitutional government was founded. Former Tokugawa samurai who, during the
Meiji period, assumed the position of elder statesmen (genro) recognized that adopting a
Constitutional government was necessary if Japan became a powerful and affluent nation capable
of competing with Western nations. Accordingly, it committed all its energy to recreating a
government. The Meiji Constitution was influenced by the constitutions of European countries,
particularly German states. Ito Hirobumi, a Choshu man who had studied in Europe, was

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primarily responsible for the 1889 Constitution. The Constitution granted the emperor complete
control; he commanded the troops, proclaimed peace and war, and dissolved the lower house of
parliament when creation was required.

However, adequate power rested with the genre, whose authority was vaguely defined in the
Constitution because it appeared to contradict the emperor's absolute sovereignty over the nation.
The emperor personally reigned as opposed to the ruling. The administration was determined to
make the new institutions function despite initial difficulties for national pride, international
approbation, and political stability. When war with China became unavoidable, political
divisions had to be set aside, and national unity became the first issue. In what is known as the
Sino-Japanese War of 1894 - 1895, Japan and China quickly came to blows. Japan's army
defeated Chinese soldiers and captured control of Korea and the Liaodong Peninsula in southern
Manchuria. China also surrendered Taiwan to Japan, but the Tripartite Intervention by Germany,
France, and Russia compelled them to return to the Liaodong Peninsula. The participation of
Western forces convinced the Meiji authorities that their nation was still inferior to the West and
that more national might was required. These events contributed to the strengthening of Japan's
military expansion and imperialistic ambitions. The military was the first sector to undergo
significant structural change and the first to adopt new technologies. Western organizational
structures were the first to use foreign consultants.

Military Development

An 1868 photograph of Japanese Tokugawa Bakufu troops trained by the French Military Mission to Japan.

The army and Japan's navy grew swiftly to become its most significant institution, and their
need soared. Resources played a primary impetus for their development from the zaibatsu to
other systems—industries to compulsory education for everyone. Government investment in the

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private sector The establishment of businesses to facilitate the nation's military growth led to the
creation of industries—enduring corporations like Mitsubishi, Mitsui, and Sumitomo. The shift
to a modern military structure comprises three phases. The first phase, which ran from 1853 to
1870, was a period of extensive experimentation. Numerous organizations took on novel forms
and exhibited considerable diversity. In its second phase, between 1870 and 1878, the central
government built a centralized organization model for the army and navy.

Both universities underwent rigorous organization building, focusing on internal structures and
procedures. The third focus switched in the latter period (1878-1890) to how the military
interacted—relating to the political and social context, assuring the delivery of essential
resources, and strengthening the autonomy and effectiveness of the military. The relaxation of
the legal ban on the building or acquiring of big ships in 1853 signaled the beginning of two
decades of Japanese military mobilization. The Fears of Western invasion prompted initial
military mobilization. Japan is the greatest threat posed by the Western powers that sprang from
the sea. A navy in the Western style might be founded in an "empty niche": no organization was
already doing that role. It may reject attempts to change to a new model or obstruct the
development of a new model. There was considerable consensus among the Meiji elite that Japan
must modernize.

A militarily and economically powerful nation to be ranked similarly to Western nations.

However, a great deal of debate over how this should be done. The traditionalists, led by Saigo
Takamori, contended that samurai should form the backbone of the new army, while the majority
faction believed that samurai should be a minority. Saigo also advocated for an expedition
against Korea, arguing that this would compel the government's desired internal cohesion. viii A
samurai from Satsuma, he amassed a formidable army of dissatisfied southern samurai. In 1877,
Saigo, as the leader, staged a rebellion against the Tokyo government that became known as the
Satsuma Rebellion. The new national army was deployed to stop the violent revolt, which it did
very quickly. To demonstrate the new system's efficacy and secure victory, the administration
mobilized a more significant number of troops than was strictly necessary. Omura Masajiro, the
chief of the War Department at the time, thought that the government had to ensure domestic
order before the Western nations would be forced to recognize Japan as power a and end the
humiliating treaties. In the 1880s, the military and the government agreed that independence
meant the capacity to pursue the same rights and privileges on the Asian continent as Western
powers. Specifically, the "independence" of Korea from China and under their authority was the
impetus for the Sino-Japanese War of 1895, a struggle between China and Japan for control of
Korea. War served to bolster the military and provide a tremendous boost to the zaibatsu, the
government-subsidized industrial family businesses.

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Economic Growth

The Meiji Restoration Boost to Japanese Economy

The government was largely responsible for creating the essential foundations for economic
growth. In addition to the state's role, the connection between the private and public sectors also
contributed to industrial expansion. This unique interaction between the government and private
companies has persisted in the Japanese economy to the present day. During the early Meiji
period, the state-private enterprise relationship was consolidated within a national framework,
and this coherence was crucial to the economic development of Japan. During the first fifteen
years of the Meiji era, the government prioritized the development of both social and industrial
infrastructure. The government invested heavily in public works such as railways, shipping,
communication, ports, lighthouses, etc. The Meiji leaders also invested significant national
revenue in importing Western technology and know-how for establishing modern factories. No
private entrepreneurs had sufficient cash or self-assurance to enter the

telegraph and railroad industries. Without the government's direct investments, Japan's
modernization would not have progressed as swiftly as it did. Japan developed in a way that
embodied the features of a dual economy, with separate traditional and contemporary sectors.
During the first two decades of the Meiji era, agriculture dominated the economy as the main
sector. Not only did it employ the highest proportion of the labor force, but it also generated the
most land tax income for the government. Between 1870 and 1900, the economy grew at an
astonishing pace of 2% per year due to the execution of the Land Reform Act of 1873, the
introduction of new rice strains, and the development of an agricultural teaching center. viii After

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the Meiji Restoration, peasants were granted ownership of the land they had cultivated for feudal
lords under the previous administration. The payment of land tax in cash replaced forced labor
and payment in the produce of the land. The Meiji economic change was initially accomplished
by supporting the agriculture industry and exploiting the peasant people. This was the only real
source of government revenue; taxing the heavy industries and zaibatsu at this early stage of
economic growth would have been detrimental to the economy as a whole. Despite the country's
lack of natural resources, Japan was able to capitalize on Europe's enormous demand for silk.
Nearby the nineteenth century, raw silk accounted for forty percent of Japan's overall export
earnings. Tea was another product that Japan exported in large quantities. Therefore, the
overseas demand for silk and tea spurred agricultural diversification and expansion, which led to
increased government funds invested in industrial development. Japan's export earnings were
invested in the purchase of foreign machinery. After the Meiji period, Japan was the leading
exporter of produced silk. Undeniable were the silk trade's secondary impacts on the cotton
sector. The initial impetus for Western technology adoption and spread in the cotton sector was
to remove its reliance on Western textile imports. The public and private sectors want a situation
in which foreign revenue is utilized to finance the import of capital goods instead of
consumption items. By the end of the first decade of the Meiji period, Japan had less than 10,000
cotton spindles, but by the second decade, that number had increased to 100,000. Thus, Japan
dominated the global textile industry at the end of the Meiji period. Japan acquired foreign
technology, then made changes and advances to create a globally competitive industrial base.
Swiss watches, British motorbikes, Western Europe/U.S. autos, and musical instruments have all
been surpassed by Japanese items in recent years. As previously said, for silk and cotton, the
origins of this phenomenon date back to the Meiji Era. With the expansion of foreign trade,
banks appeared naturally. The Meiji government first experimented with several techniques
before establishing, in 1873, a national banking system modeled primarily after the American
model. Due to unfair accords with the West, Japan's currency was being drained. Consequently,
Japan needs an incredibly robust financial structure. The status of the banks and the national
treasury was shaky. In 1881, the government was prompted to establish a central bank, which
would ultimately become the Bank of Japan. In addition, the Yokohama Specialty Bank was
established to facilitate international commerce and foreign currency. During this time, a postal
savings bank was also introduced. During the Meiji Era, the financial system took on its
definitive shape, laying the groundwork for the modern Japanese banking system. 1894 saw the
formation of agricultural and industrial banks to fund farmers and businesses. As business and
financial institutions grew in importance, transportation methods improved. Japan saw an
upsurge in the use and building of steamships. The Meiji government fostered and substantially
financed shipbuilding enterprises, laying the groundwork for Japan's phenomenal domestic and
international maritime expansion. In addition to commerce, the state was a pioneer in railroad
construction. In 1872, a railway was constructed between Tokyo and the port of Yokohama,
despite objections from the government's conservatives. The state continued to push railroads,
and most of the earliest ones were built by state or government-aided corporations. The state
constructed telegraph lines, and in 1886 the telegraph and postal services were merged under a
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single state agency. Under the reformers' direction, the government played a significant role in
reorganizing banking, trade, transportation, manufacturing, and agriculture. There were two
primary factors at play here. First, the state was the only entity with the structure, resources, and
credit to launch a large-scale enterprise required to compete with the West. Before Perry's
arrival, there were few significant commercial sectors. Second, the previous administration had
emphasized a focus on the state. Thus it was only logical that the ministers of the Meiji would
follow in their footsteps.

Education

Educational Goals in Meiji Japan

In contemporary Japanese society, vision, determination, effort, and active communication

remain defining traits. Vision and resolve were characterized by a scary degree of ruthlessness.
To the new Meiji elite, the aim justified any means, which included the exploitation of women
and children, the excessive taxation of the rural people, etc. However, none of these features
distinguishes Meiji Japan from the industrialized West in a meaningful way. Modernization has
necessarily necessitated a degree of cruelty. Despite this characteristic of the Meiji leadership,
the people were taught to read, write, and count. The governing authorities of other failed
emerging nations never appeared to prioritize creating national unity via education. Not so much
financial capital or foreign technology contributed to Japan's development as the accumulation
and effective creation of its human capital through mass education.

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In 1871, a new compulsory education system was implemented, emphasizing the spirit of
scientific inquiry. In 1872, the Ministry of Education accepted Fukuzawa Yukichi's "Illustrated
Course in Physics" as a standard textbook. Gradually, a comprehensive program of public
schools was implemented, beginning with elementary school, then "middle" and "high" schools,
and for some, national universities. Efforts were geared at striving to uncover and nurture (male)
talent wherever it may be. The Education Order of 1872 asserted that education should no longer
be the preserve of the higher class or the male population. The objective of the Meiji reformers
was universal literacy, and the country was divided into high school districts with networks of
intermediate and lower schools. On the eve of the Meiji period, the literacy rate of the overall
population was around 40%, but by the conclusion of the Meiji period, it had quadrupled to
around 80%. However, progress was hampered by budgetary issues.

Regarding the government's educational initiatives, its ambition was more ambitious than its
generosity. Throughout the Meiji Era, the government spent relatively little on education
compared to its exorbitant spending on the military. In the early Meiji period, the government's
educational objectives were limited not only by financial barriers but also by ideological ones. In
other words, there was strong opposition to compulsory schooling in rural areas: the peasant
population argued that it had more pressing needs, such as obtaining food than gaining an
education. A portion of the peasants' opposition to compulsory schooling stemmed from
economic problems. In addition to the land tax, the peasantry viewed education as an additional
financial burden they were compelled to shoulder. As a result, the peasant populace viewed
schools with distrust and animosity, in some cases, had an intuitive fear that the new Western-
style education was a sort of witchcraft. Undaunted, the Meiji administration proceeded with its
educational initiatives. Tanaka Fujimaro, the chief educational officer, headed the Iwakura
mission, which consisted of a diplomatic and fact-finding trip. From 1871 to 1873, a significant
portion of the Meiji leadership traveled to Europe and America for 18 months. Exposure to the
West altered the perspectives and priorities of a significant number of Meiji reformers. Upon
returning to Japan in 1873, Tanaka enlisted the assistance of David Murray, an American who, as
the Ministry of Education's top advisor, was partially responsible for altering the initial Meiji
education system. The initial Meiji concept was based on the highly centralized and organized
Napoleonic French framework. Instead, a more simple and more decentralized American
structure was adopted throughout the 1870s. The liberal environment which dominated the
school system was a broad reflection of the antinfucianistanist mentality of that age. Prior values
were enthusiastically abandoned in favor of individualism, equality, and other Western ideas. By
the middle of the Meiji Era, the government had formulated and executed an educational system
that met its demands and goals. Combining a highly competent leader with a well-disciplined
and educated population was the right formula for establishing Japan's new modern country.

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Social Development

Japan during the Meiji.

By the beginning of the second decade of the Meiji Era, the majority of the authority and
privileges of the daimyo and higher samurai had vanished. In terms of socioeconomics, the new
governing class comprised an urban upper middle class. The majority of its members were
industry managers and bureaucrats. In addition to administrators and executives, the governing
elite consisted of military officials, physicians, academics, architects, and members of the liberal
professions. By the late Meiji period, all these classes typically consisted of students from
universities and colleges. Thus, it may be claimed that the new Japanese aristocracy was
meritocratic. The makeup of Meiji's ruling elite closely resembled that of industrialized Western
nations. Nevertheless, two minor distinctions distinguish Japan from the West. First, most
Western nations counted among their elite the magnates of various churches, although there was
no such occurrence in Japan. Second, Meiji bureaucrats and administrators tended to be wholly
detached from the land, whereas in the West, estate ownership continued to confer social and
political prestige. Japan maintained a predominantly peasant culture and economy, ruled by a
limited ruling class. The demographic profile of Japan revealed a high population concentration
in tiny settlements. Within that population existed an urban ruling class composed of school
teachers, small business owners, shopkeepers, and makers of traditional crafts. A further
characteristic of Japan's social milieu during the Meiji period was the small size of the urban
middle class. Currently, Japanese society has two primary features. First, there was a significant
income disparity between urban and rural areas, and second, between the high and poorer

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classes. The upper class was wealthy and educated, while the lower class was destitute and
illiterate. The upper orders were often cosmopolitan, while the lower orders were provincial. The
fast industrialization brought with it several conveniences and a great deal of societal
uncertainty. The failure to acknowledge the urgent need for social advancement rendered all
political reform superficial. During the second phase of the time of Meiji modernization, the
economic benefits of the first phase did not convert into social changes.

Transformation of Traditional Japanese Aesthetics of the Meiji Era

Aesthetics of the Meiji Era

The ceramic art of the Meiji period was a turning point in the development of Japanese
individuality, and this study will compare one of its instances to other categories. Makuzu Kzan
Kazan native of Kyoto began his career in the Gion district before relocating to Yokohama. In
1876, his art was displayed at the world's fair in Philadelphia, launching him into the worldwide
stage. Makuzu's approach to pottery was influenced by his relocation from Kyoto to Yokohama,
from the tranquility of the old capital to a bustling port metropolis. Makuzu adorned the surface
of his artwork in a manner completely distinct from any previously produced Japanese artworks
by depicting both natural flora and wildlife and therianthropic characters. In addition, he
invented the unique and elegant Takaukibori or Sc, sculptural relief method for a ceramic
ornamental style.

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This ornamental method may be observed as a three-dimensional style, and its intangible beauty
has garnered widespread recognition. Consequently, Makuzu's work never mimicked Western
models, and he is most admired for his desire to delve under the surface of his ceramics rather
than just work around it. This article will explain how Makuzu Kazan's experiences during the
Meiji transition inspired his art and how his work greatly influenced the distinctive forms and
aesthetics of Japanese ceramic art.

Conclusion
The Meiji Era ushered in significant changes in the economic, social, and political sectors,
which laid the groundwork for modern Japan. Politically, Japan enacted a constitution and
established a parliamentary government first and foremost. Meiji-era imitation of the then-
superior Western countries established the foundation for Japan's present form of governance.
On a side note, the emperor became a well-known and influential person throughout the nation.
The monarchy was a valuable tool for establishing and maintaining national unity. More
significantly, it fostered a close link between the central and local governments and between one
central government and the ordinary people. The government's backing of giant family-owned
firms, known as zaibatsu, contributed to the Japanese economy and industry growth. Although
these zaibatsu conglomerates were terminated during World War II, a comparable conglomerate
system still exists in the Japanese economy today. The foundations of the modern Japanese
banking and financial system may also be traced back to the changes of Meiji. Japan
accomplished a tremendous transition from a feudal society to a modern industrial state on the
social front. The samurai class lost its governing and privileged authority and disintegrated
firmly segregated social classes. Meiji Japan was also the origin of the current compulsory
schooling system in Japan. This school system in modern Japan has contributed to the country's
high literacy and education levels. Meiji's military expansion to catch up with the West
influenced Japan's imperialistic involvement in both World Wars, even though the Japanese
military is far less imperialistic now. The Meiji era, the foundation of modern Japan, may be
viewed as the nation's first move toward modernization and superpower status in a world long
dominated by the West.

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