Japanese Imperialism

The historical context of this image, is a postcard from the 1920’s representing the red as the extent of the Japanese Empire. This image entails the different people and cultures ranging int he red region described, from sub-arctic regions to Micronesia. As we all know, Japanese modern history shows how imperialistic Japan was, especially dealing with colonization. This photo in its direct context shows the different cultures, peoples, and regions that were involved in the modern east Asian Japanese Empire. The reason I chose this image was because of the significance and importance of imperialism to the Japanese Empire during this time. As we can see in the image it is symbolism of Japanese Imperialism After studying this course’s content on Japanese Empire relating to modern history, imperialism seems to be a big topic of discussion so that is why I chose this image.

In my opinion, I believe the reasoning for the formation of the nation-state of Japan was predicated on the terms of imperialism. Without such actions, there is no colonial rule. For example, one of our readings mentions “Imperialism both elicited jingoistic calls for a strong foreign policy and exacted major sacrifices, in money and lives, from the populace. Put simply, the rise of Japan as a nation-state and a capitalist society led to important changes in popular thought and behavior”(Gordon). That essentially, the ideas of imperialism have brought the changes needed to reshape thought and behavior amongst the empire. Essentially, ‘m trying to say Japanese modern history is heavily relied on he concept of imperialism and this photo exemplifies that.

Another reading I’d like to point out on the subject of Imperialism is , “The Great Kanto Earthquake and the Massacre of Koreans in 1923: Notes on Japan’s Modern National Sovereignty”. I want to point this reading out specifically in relation to the concept of Japanese Imperialism. At the end it mentions, “The same applies to the 1923 massacre.Rather than being an unexpected hic-cup in the process of Japanese modernity, the 1923 massacre was a logical
and ordinary outcome of the way Japan emerged as a modern nation, in the form exclusively of the nation of the Japanese,where sovereignty is indissolubly connected with nationality” (Ryang). The 1923 masscre of Koreans after the earthquake still shows the Japanese Imperialism brought with the modern Japanese Empire.

Overall, this image depicts the idea of Japanese Imperialism. Imperialism, I think, is one of the biggest concepts of this modern Japanese History.

Sources:

Andrew Gordon, “Crowd and Imperial Politics in Modern Japan”

Sonia Ryang, “The Great Kanto Earthquake and the Massacre of Koreans in 1923: Notes on Japan’s Modern National Sovereignty”

ast Asia Image Collection, Lafayette College [ip1567] [Commemorating the First National Census October 1, 1920]