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Japan Overthrows Korea
Japanese supporters took control of Korea briefly; then, a year later, Chinese supporters attempted to gain control back from the Japanese. Britain later got involved, and all of these instances showed how vulnerable Korea was and set the stage for the First Sino-Japanese War. -
Meiji Constitution
The Meiji Constitution instituted a number of reforms in the Japanese government, including the abolition of feudalism and the creation of the Japanese parliament, which was called the Diet. -
First Sino-Japanese War
The fighting between Japan and China was caused by Japanese occupation of Korea and the ban of Japanese imports in China. Japan dominated the war. -
Treaty of Shimonoseki
To end the First Sino-Japanese War, Japan gained control of Korea, Manchuria, Taiwan, parts of China, and over 13,000 tons of silver. -
Anglo-Japanese Alliance
Japan and Britain agreed to aid each other in times of war. The agreement was mainly designed to limit Russian expansion in Asia. -
Russo-Japanese War
Japan and Russia fought over control of parts of China; Japan eventually won and gained access to the South Manchurian Railway. -
Treaty of Portsmouth
This treaty ended the Russo-Japanese War. China was given Manchuria, and Japan was allowed to lease several territories from China. Japan was also allowed to lease the Russian built South Manchurian Railway. -
World War I: Japanese Involvement
Britain requested Japan's assistance in the fight against Germany. Japan gained control of formerly German controlled territories in the Pacific. The involvement in the war was also a boost for Japanese nationalism. -
21 Demands
Japan presented China with a list of 21 demands that essentially gave Japan sole access to many features of China, including the building of railroads and the leasing of territories. Although Japan narrowed the list to 13 demands, because they were so much more powerful than China, the demands were accepted. -
League of Nations
Japan was a founding member of the League of Nations, and it gained a greater feeling of nationalism because of this. However, Japanese representatives felt that they faced racism in the establishment of the League, and this was displeasing to the Japanese. -
Washington Naval Conference
Through several treaties at this conference following World War I, the Anglo-Japanese Alliance was ended, Japan's navy was restricted to 60% of the size of that of America and Britain, and an "Open Door" policy was applied to China. -
Tokyo Burns
Due to the massive fire in Tokyo, the Japanese economy halts momentarily. However, jobs are made available for the reconstruction, and this also causes urbanization to Tokyo. -
Peace Protection Law
Due to the rise in the popularity of Communism, the Japanese government was given the permission to arrest (and later execute) anyone who wanted to change the current form of government. This led to the arrest of over 1000 communist sympathizers. -
Chinese Northern Expedition
Under a nationalist government, China unified itself while also starving millions of people. The strengthened China meant that Japan would have a harder time taking advantage of many of China's weaknesses. -
Showa Restoration
There was a movement to give the Showa emperor complete power due to corruption within the government. This movement gained support from conservatives. -
Zhang Zoulin Assassinated
Zhang was the leader of Manchuria, and when he died, Japan increased its presence in the parts of China it controlled out of fear of a united China. Japan felt that if China was unified, it could challenge Japanese interests in Asia. -
Great Depression
Japan's economy was harmed by the Great Depression; trade partners like the United States set up trade barriers to stimulate domestic economy, which hurt Japan. Japanese GNP fell 20% in two years, and Tokyo stocks dropped 50%. Only the Zaibatsu succeeded during this time. -
London Naval Treaty
Japan was allowed to expand its navy to 69.75% of the size of the navies of the United States and Britain. Japan had entered the conference with a goal of 70%, and because the prime minister did not reach this number, he was assassinated by a Japanese ultranationalist. -
Manchurian Crisis
Japan invaded Manchuria following the Mukden Incident, and the Japanese soon gained complete control of the land. Although they set Manchuria up to look like its own country, it was clear that Japan was really in control the entire time. -
Mukden Incident
A small bomb was set off on a section of the Manchurian Railroad. Japanese troops blamed the explosion on Chinese troops, but the bomb was likely set off by the Japanese so that they would have an excuse to occupy Manchuria. -
Lytton Commission
This group was assigned by the League of Nations to investigate Japan's occupation of Manchuria. The commission eventually asked Japan to withdraw its forces from Manchuria, and the League of Nations condemned the actions of Japan. -
Japan's Withdrawal
Japan withdrew from the League of Nations after it was formally condemned for its invasion of Manchuria. There were no major consequences for Japan once they left. -
Marco Polo Bridge Incident
Chinese troops resisted Japan's increasing control in northern China by fighting with Japanese troops at Marco Polo Bridge. This incident led to the Second Sino-Japanese War, which lasted until 1945. -
Second Sino-Japanese War
Japan and China fought for control of important Chinese cities, with Shanghai being the most important target for Japan. Japan won some early victories, but its resources became depleted in the long fight that eventually coincided with World War II. -
Pearl Harbor
Japan launched an attack involving 353 aircraft towards the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The attack killed over 2,400 Americans and destroyed many resources for the U.S. Army.