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History of The Meiji Restoration of Early Modernization of Japan

History of The Meiji Restoration of Early Modernization of Japan - The Meiji Restoration was a major change that occurred in Japan during the years 1868-1869. The Meiji Restoration was a major change which resulted in the return of Japanese rule under the emperor. Below will be explained about the history of the Meiji Restoration (Meiji renewal) or commonly known as the Meiji Revolution.

The condition of Japan before the Meiji Restoration is often referred to as the Tokugawa Shogunate era (Tokugawa shogunate), this is because the Tokugawa family ran the Japanese government which was carried out in a dictatorial manner and hereditary for 264 years (1603-1867). The period before the Meiji Restoration was also called the Edo period, because the center of government was in the city of Edo (now called Tokyo). In Indonesian Shogun can be interpreted as a military leader.

So Shogun Tokugawa is a military leader who comes from the Tokugawa family. At that time the Emperor was only a symbol of the kingdom who resided in the city of Kyoto. If the Emperor makes a policy, it must be with the approval of Tokugawa and Tokugawa who will carry out the policy or order of the Emperor. Therefore, it is necessary to know in advance the condition of Japan before the Meiji Restoration. Below will be explained the state of Japan before the Meiji Restoration.

Meiji Restoration Background

Entering the 19th century, Japan, which in the Tokugawa Shogunate era enforced a closed-door policy, in fact had to open up and inevitably had to follow the currents of international political and economic developments. The post-French Revolution that occurred in Europe has led to an increasingly intense international trade traffic carried out by Western nations to Japan's territorial waters, especially and has attempted to open Japan's closed-door political policy. Below will be described about the efforts of foreign nations in opening Japan from closed door political policies, which in turn will bring major changes to the Japanese nation through a series of modernizations carried out by Meiji.

The efforts made by foreign nations do not mean that they are aimed at "advancing" Japan. On the other hand, they have an interest in investing in order to continue to increase the level of capital accumulation as expected in the understanding of capitalism which has indeed developed in Europe, especially since the Industrial Revolution in England. However, on the other hand, this is also beneficial for Japan because by establishing relations with Western nations, it has brought Japan to major changes and has an impact on the future journey of the Japanese people in the international political arena.

The Efforts of Foreign Nations in the Politics of the Opening of the State (Kaikoku) Japan

When the situation inside Japan was turbulent, the countries in Europe were busy with efforts to spread their wings to the east through the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca. They kept urging Japan to open the door that had been closed all this time. In the long period of peace after the Napoleonic wars in Europe, Western countries (Europe) paid much attention to international trade. Due to the Industrial Revolution, they needed new markets to sell industrial products and buy industrial raw materials. The direction of their views, among others, to the Pacific Ocean, especially to Japan, which at that time was running a closed door policy.

The first nation to open up Japan was actually Russia. In 1792, Russia, which had expanded its territory to Siberia, sent an envoy named Adam Laxman to Nemuro, Hokkaido to submit an official proposal to open trade relations between the two countries. But the proposal was rejected and Bakufu informed him of Japan's exile policy, and said that further talks should be held in Nagasaki. Then they expelled the envoy, because Bakufu thought that the proposal was against the law.

Then in 1807 captain Golovin was ordered to inspect Kuriles Island in northern Japan. But he and some of his friends were captured by the Japanese soldiers and then expelled. This second expulsion caused Russia to use its military power to attack the northern part of Japan. As a result, the Bakufu government controlled the city and strengthened its control there. In 1808 a British warship docked at Nagasaki, but they were driven away. In 1813 and 1814 Raffles tried again to force the Japanese by sending two warships to Japan, but failed.

In 1844 the Dutch King Willem II sent a letter to the Tokugawa Shogun. He warned the Japanese government that the world's hectic traffic would not allow Japan to shut itself down forever. France did not want to be left behind in navigating the Pacific Ocean. In 1848 a French ship stopped at Ryukyu Island. The French ship that landed then instigated the islanders to want to take refuge under the protection of the French State as an act of guard against the British people.

The West repeatedly forced Japan to open its doors and cooperate in various fields, especially trade. However, the Japanese government remained steadfast in its stance considering the bitter experience in trading with the outside world, namely the many competitions and conflicts that still adhered to the ancestral stance. It is different with the United States which has a special interest in opening up Japan. The relationship between whaling activities and developments in the Pacific Ocean is increasingly important to the United States.

In 1837 the American ship The Morrison departed from Macao for Japan, but in Nagasaki this ship was greeted with Japanese fire. As a result, the ship was forced to return to Canton. This shooting is shooting for the umpteenth time experienced by US ships. In addition, if there are crew members who are stranded or shipwrecked in Japanese waters, then the crew will be treated harshly, sometimes tortured and taken to Nagasaki, then returned to their home country. Another factor that prompted the United States to open up Japan was for the Japanese government to protect American crew members stranded on Japanese shores.

For this purpose, in the summer of 1853, the United States sent its fleet under Commodore Matthew C Perry. In July the ships entered Edo Bay (now Tokyo Bay). Bakufu followers were very surprised to see the arrival of the ship with guns, and they called it the Black Ship (Kuro Fune). In addition, the ships went fast, even though they were against the wind. Perry during his visit delivered a letter from the president of the United States. In this letter it is explained that Perry's expedition is to request:

1. Protection for United States sailors who have sea accidents.

2. The opening of port cities for US ships to repair ships and add supplies.

3. Opening of port cities for commerce.

Commodor Perry acted decisively, so that the Shogunate's followers felt disdain for him. Perry's attitude was the result of a bitter experience with Commodore Biddle who had been expelled from Japan, when Biddle had been tasked with negotiating with the Tokugawa rulers seven years earlier. Biddle behaved too politely, so a sailor of the Shogun refused to appear before the Shogun.

Such actions are considered a weakness by Americans. Perry left the letter, with a message that a year later his fleet would return to Japan for the Bakufu government's response. In August, the Russian Navy under the command of Admiral Putyatin docked in Nagasaki. Because the Bakufu government did not give any answer, Putyatin returned to his country and in January 1854 appeared again in Japan.

After Commodor Perry's death, the domestic situation in Japan, which had previously been a bit chaotic, became even more chaotic due to the conflict between groups that opposed the entry of foreigners and those who accepted the entry of foreigners. The first group called for the slogan Sonno Joi (repel the savages, glorify the maharaja). The second group, realized that after all, if the United States used force, then the Bakufu would be powerless to face or fight back, given the absence of a strong Navy.

Therefore, the decision was taken by Abe Masahiro as Rochu (Secretary General of the Shogunate) by allowing the entry of these foreign ships. Bakufu has announced that Japan must accept the conditions put forward by the United States, if Japan does not want to experience disaster.

A year later Perry came again with a larger fleet, namely seven warships. During his arrival, Perry did not hesitate to threaten him with violence. Then Japan was forced to sign an agreement in Kannagawa, a fishing village in Yokohama, on March 31, 1854. This agreement was brief, only consisting of 12 articles. Then similar agreements were made by Bakufu with the British, represented by Admiral Starling, on October 14, 1854 in Nagasaki. This agreement allowed British ships to dock at Nagasaki and Hakodate.

The treaty with Russia under Admiral Putyatin was signed on February 17, 1855 at Shimoda, which resulted in three important ports of Nagasaki, Shimoda and Hakkodate being opened to Russian ships. In 1956 Townsend Harris arrived in Shimoda to serve as the first United States Ambassador. Thus the doors of Japan were opened to foreigners, after isolating themselves for approximately two and a half centuries, during the reign of Bakufu Tokugawa.

Since the opening of Japan to foreigners, there has been increasing chaos in the country, which reached its peak after the signing of the trade and friendship treaty between Japan and the United States, the Netherlands and England between 1855-1866. These agreements are generally detrimental to the Japanese side, especially in the Japanese financial sector, where gold money flows mostly outside Japan.

Outside Japan 1 gold = 15 silver, inside Japan 1 gold = 5 silver. This meant that foreigners could make three times as much profit in Japan just by exchanging money, as well as the Chonin (big traders) – especially those living in Osaka and Yokohama – while the lives of the little people were getting more and more difficult.

In the political field, two opposing groups emerged, namely the conservative group and the realistic group. Conservative groups, in principle, oppose Bakufu's politics of establishing trade relations with Foreign Nations, and want the return of political functions to the Tenno (Emperor) and want to re-establish the worship of Tenno and the Shinto religion.

They used the slogan Sonno Joi (repel the savages, and glorify Tenno), who joined in this group were the Daimyo who still belonged to the Tokugawa family and also subordinate Samurai. Realistic groups are those who sided with Bakufu and argued that after all Japan should open its doors to foreigners, because it was feared that the United States and other European countries would force their way in, if Japan refused their request.

Conservative groups set the strategy by holding movements that pitted the power of Bakufu against foreign powers. They carried out acts of violence and terrorized foreigners living in Japanese cities. On June 24, 1863 a group of people from the Choshu tribe opened fire on an American ship sailing in the Shimonoseki Strait. Then the following month on July 8, 1863, they attacked French ships and on July 11, 1863, opened fire on Dutch ships.

In September, Richardson, an Englishman living in Japan was killed by Satsuma's escorts in Namamugi, the road between Edo and Yokohama- when Satsuma's guards escorted the Daimyo to Edo. This incident is known as the Namamugi incident. Coinciding with the return of Satsuma's guard soldiers from escorting their Daimyo back to Edo, on the way they met four Englishmen on horseback. The four Englishmen did not dismount from their horses, instead turning their horses towards the Daimyo's procession to salute.

According to Japanese custom at the time, when a great person or Daimyo passed by, the common people had to pay their respects, kneeling on the ground. The attitude of the British people was considered rude or disrespectful. Then one of them, Richardson, was beheaded. In addition, there was also the burning of the British Embassy building in Edo, carried out by anti-foreigners groups.

As a result of terrorizing these foreigners, the United States, Britain and the Netherlands carried out counter attacks against Japan. The United States formed an army with France and then attacked Choshu in retaliation for the shooting of American merchant ships. Then in August 1863 the British attacked Kagoshima, the capital of Satsuma, in retaliation for Richardson's assassination. After that, there were several battles between foreign nations and anti-foreign Japanese.

However, all battles are always won by Foreign Nations. This is because the Japanese are still using the traditional military. Because of the many defeats experienced by Satsuma and Choshu, some of the subordinate Samurai groups recognized the military prowess of the Foreign Nation. In fact, they turned their backs to accept foreigners who came to Japan. They take advantage of foreign knowledge in military matters and then do not refuse to be trained in modern military by foreigners. Satsuma then trained in the Navy assisted by the British Navy. Choshu studied Army military which later controlled the Imperial Japanese Army until the twentieth century.

Political changes have indeed appeared in Bakufu itself to return political power to Tenno. This is shown clearly, when Shogun Iemochi made a visit to Edo where Tenno lived. During the Tokugawa reign, such an event had never happened. In 1866 Shogun Iemochi died and was succeeded by Tokugawa Kieki. In 1867, Emperor Komei died and was succeeded by Emperor Meiji, who was only fifteen years old at the time.

The end of Bakufu's rule, was when Shogun Keiki handed over his power to Emperor Meiji, in November 1867. Thus ended the Tokugawa rule which ruled Japan for approximately 260 years, with little bloodshed. According to historians, there are two main differing opinions regarding the causes of the fall of Bakufu. The first opinion states that the fall of Bakufu was caused by the forcible opening of Japan by the United States and other countries (Britain, France, Russia and the Netherlands). This opinion concludes that the destruction of Bakufu Tokugawa and the collapse of Bakufu was caused by the influx of foreigners.

The second opinion states that in fact the entire Tokugawa government was indirectly attacked from various angles within Japan, long before Perry arrived, the pressure for economic change, especially the growth of Chonin (rich merchants) and slowly developing capital owners, undermined the principles of Bakufu. . The formation of the Sat-Cho Alliance, namely between Saigo Takamori, the leader of Satsuma and Kido Takayoshi, the leader of Choshu. With the aim of fighting the Tokugawa shogunate and restoring the Emperor's power and therefore the arrival of the Westerners symbolized by the arrival of Perry only provided the final impetus for the inevitable destruction of Bakufu.

The transfer of power from the Tokugawa Shogun to the Emperor can be said to have gone smoothly. Although there were several rebellions, they did not drag Japan into civil war. Fighting broke out between Tokugawa's followers and their opponents but not until further civil war broke out. As in 1866 the Bakufu troops in Edo assigned to crush the Choshus in the Southwest were repelled by Western-trained Choshu soldiers. In early January 1868, there was a small battle between the Bakufu army and the Satsuma and Choshu troops at Toba-Fushimi. In this battle, the Bakufu army was defeated. After that, there were several battles, but were won by the troops supporting the Meiji Restoration, consisting of the Choshu and Satsuma troops.

On November 8, 1867, the last Shogun resigned and handed power back to the Emperor. So ended the rule of Bakufu under Tokugawa which lasted for 264 years (1603-1867). The Meiji Era (1868-1912) was one of the most prominent periods in world history. Under Emperor Meiji in just a few decades Japan succeeded in achieving what it took centuries to develop in the West, namely the formation of a modern state with modern industry, modern political bodies and a modern pattern of society.

During the first year of his reign, Emperor Meiji moved the Imperial capital from Kyoto to Edo, the seat of the former feudal government. The city was called Tokyo which means the Capital of the East. The reason for moving the National Capital is as a form of new government. Tokyo literally means “Eastern Capital”. This is the opposite meaning of Kyoto which means "Capital of the West", the city that became the center of the former Feudal government. The Constitution was promulgated and a Constitutional Monarchy was established. The old classes into which society was fragmented during the feudal age were abolished. The whole country puts energy, enthusiasm into the study and transfer of modern Western civilization.

Indeed, in this transitional period, it can be said that the transfer of power from the Shogun to Tenno was an extraordinary transfer of power. Although there were small skirmishes. The Choshu and Satsuma tribes who were initially very conservative (don't want change), turned into modernist figures (wanted change), especially under the Young Samurai group. This is evidenced by the formation of a modern Army and Navy modeled after the West. In addition, the Young Samurai group played a very important role in the Meiji government. It was they who pushed for further intensification of relations with the West.

The decisive step taken by Emperor Meiji in establishing relations with Western countries was the proclamation of the Pledge of Charter (Go Ka Jo No Goseimon), on March 13, 1868, to nations, ancestors, gods and goddesses in a royal tradition. The contents of the Charter Pledge are as follows:

1. We will convene assemblies and govern the nation according to public opinion.

2. The people of the upper and lower classes will be united without distinction in all activities.

3. Civilian positions and military posts will be adjusted and all commoners will be treated equally, that they will achieve their goals and not feel discontent.

4. The old useless ways and customs will be eliminated and everything will be based on truth and basic principles.

5. Knowledge will be sought among the nations of the world and thus the welfare of the kingdom will be promoted.

However, the charter Pledge was falsely proclaimed, in which the Emperor swore to God, that he himself would be in charge of government. So it is clear that the new government will restore the form of government of the Kingdom of Japan in the past. Judging from the contents of the Charter Pledge, it turns out that public opinion is respected, although it is still limited to the Daimyo. Also the diplomatic policy of closing the state (Sakoku) of government with the system of opening the state (Kaikoku).

The purpose of modernization is stated, as stated in point five, that knowledge will be sought among the nations of the world. The next state system will be governed by the spirit of this Charter Pledge. The motto of the new government is Fukoku Kyo Hei (A rich country and a strong military).

As already mentioned, the downfall of Bakufu Tokugawa was also due to the development of Chonin (rich merchants), who were getting richer and richer. They gathered in Osaka, where it is said that 70% of the rich people in Japan gather there. These chonin (wealthy merchants) later played a very important role in the Meiji Restoration. Like the resistance that was fought to crush the Bakufu army in Toba-Fushimi, Edo, and Aizu for this battle was the contribution of the Chonin.

Based on the explanation above, it can be understood the meaning of the Meiji Restoration. What is meant by the Meiji Restoration according to several theories, among others, is that there are those who think that the Meiji Restoration is the establishment of an absolute kingdom, which was placed one level before the outbreak of the people's revolution, because at this time the power of the landlords was very strong and modern industry was not sufficiently developed. Another theory assumes that the Meiji Restoration was a movement to restore royal government as before under the Tenno (Emperor) by the subordinate Samurai race, by destroying the Bakufu government under the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Emperor Meiji, whose illuminating and imaginative reign helped guide his nation through dynamic decades of transition, died in 1912 before the outbreak of World War I. There is no doubt that the Meiji Restoration had a great impact on the Empire of Japan. Changes that tend to lead to progress are starting to occur and can be seen in various fields such as government, education, military, economy and culture.

Meiji Restoration in Government

In the field of government, the early years of the Meiji Period were a time of drastic change, namely the change in the Japanese government system from a feudal state to a monarchy state and on February 25, 1868 a new state system was established, namely "Three Positions and Eight Directorates". The details are as follows;

Three High Offices

1. Sosai (Senior Advisor)

2. Gijo (Senior Executive)

3. Sanyo (Junior Advisor)

Eight Directorates

1. Special Advisor

2. Jingi Jimuka (Directorate of Religion)

3. Naiko Jimuka (Directorate of Home Affairs)

4. Gaikoku Jimuka (Directorate of Foreign Affairs)

5. Kairiku Gummuka (Directorate of Navy and Army)

6. Kaikei Jimuka (Directorate of Finance)

7. Keiho Jimuka (Directorate of Courts)

8. Seido Jimuka (Directorate of State Administration)

The impact of the Meiji Restoration on the Japanese government was the birth of the 1889 constitution which placed the Emperor as the source of power. In the Meiji era, it can be clearly seen that the position and function of the Emperor in the Meiji Constitution are:

1. The emperor is the source of all power.

2. Real Power is exercised by government agencies on behalf of the Emperor.

3. The position of the Emperor is sacred and inviolable (Secret and iviolable).

Tenno Meiji died in 1912, and was succeeded by his son until 1926 with the title Tenno Taishi. However, Tenno Taishi in holding the reins of power was not as capable as his father, and in 1926 he was succeeded by his son the crown prince Hirohito with the title Tenno Heika during the reign of Showa (1926-1989).

It was the reign of Emperor Hirohito that dragged Japan into World War II. Because Japan aspires to form a Greater East Asian State inspired by Shinto teachings on Hakko Ichi-u (World as one family – under the leadership of the Japanese state). Indeed, in the constitution of Greater Japan promulgated on February 11, 1889, which was valid until World War II, among other things, it was stated that Dai Nippon Teikkoku (Imperial State of Greater Japan) was controlled by the Emperor.

The constitution also states that the Emperor is sacred and inviolable. The constitution also determines the Emperor's relationship with the military, for example article 11 states that the Emperor holds the highest office in the army and navy. Article 13 states that Caesar declared war and made treaties. Therefore, it is not surprising that Emperor Hirohito on December 8, 1841 declared war on the United States and Britain after December 7, 1941 destroyed Pearl Harbor.

Meiji Restoration in Education

During the Feudal period, various educational institutions developed to meet the needs of various social groups. The provincial rulers established special schools for the children of soldiers, while the rural communities organized certain schools for members of the wealthy merchant and peasant classes. Another type of private school is terakoya, where children are taught reading, writing and arithmetic, especially in urban areas.

According to tradition, a child's education begins at home by giving lessons about family work and life manners, while formal education only continues those lessons. Thus, in an integrated and single-patterned cultural order, schools only have an additional and complementary role. Along with the modernization process, the government also began to pay attention to people's education, because education has a good basis to encourage progress. Japanese leaders immediately turned toward Western educational ideas.

Since the Meiji Restoration, education has received special attention. Education in the Meiji period imitated the Western system a lot. After 1868, the new educational system was burdened with tasks that conflicted with the traditional role of the family. The new schools became tools of social and cultural revolution. Since education is tasked with disseminating knowledge and understanding of Western culture and thereby preparing young people for tasks in an industrial society, the role of the family in skills training is diminished.

Success in this new age depends not on traditional skills acquired in the family, but primarily on mastering some new aspect of education such as mechanical engineering, French law, double bookkeeping, or English conversation.

Branches of knowledge that can strengthen the new national foundation attract a lot of their attention. Two students named Tsuna and Nishi were sent to Leiden University in the Netherlands in 1862. There they studied natural law, the law of nations, constitutional law, economics and statistics for 4 years under the guidance of Professor Simon Vissering. After that the Japanese did a lot of research on various branches of Western science.

The government enforces a compulsory education system for all people regardless of gender, social level or wealth. To expand and develop the education of the people, the modern education system was implemented in 1872 when the government established primary and secondary schools throughout the country.

In 1886 every child was required to study in elementary school for three years. In 1900 compulsory education was provided free of charge and in 1908 the period was extended to six years. After World War II the compulsory education period became nine years until now, covering elementary school and junior high school.

The basic structure and principles of the current education system are contained in two laws passed in 1947, namely the Law on Fundamental Education and the Law on School Education. The central concept in Japanese education today is to create citizens who believe in themselves in a peaceful and democratic country and society who respects human rights and has a love for truth and peace.

Another basic principle stated in the Act is equal educational opportunities for everyone according to their abilities. The law prohibits discrimination based on race, creed, social status, economic position, or family background. The law emphasizes the importance of political knowledge and religious tolerance in fostering healthy citizens, but also specifically prohibits any ties between political or religious parties and education.

Subjects in public schools are emphasized on social studies, in line with the education law which encourages social education and encourages state and local officials to establish institutions such as libraries, museums and meeting halls. The education system is divided into four stages:

1. Kindergarten (one to three years);

2. Elementary School (six years);

3. Junior High School (three years); and

4. University (four years).

To support the progress of science, the government began to invite foreign teachers. Therefore, when the University of Tokyo was first established, the faculty consisted mostly of foreign workers numbering approximately 5,000 people.

The father of Japanese education, Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835-1901) revealed that what is important for Japan is Jitsugaku, namely knowledge that can be directly useful for people's lives, in this case practical knowledge from the West. She is also one of the advocates of women's rights who fought tirelessly to provide equal educational opportunities to women.

In 1807 Fukuzawa Yukichi started from among his family and friends in teaching the ideas of freedom, equality of rights, getting used to the way of thinking of empirical knowledge. To concentrate on education, he was spurred on by the rapid progress he had noticed in European countries. And through this education he hopes not only to change traditional concepts, but also to help build the country's economy.

Meiji Restoration in the Military field

In the military field there are two major roles that affect the renewal of the army, namely Choshu and Satsuma. Chosu who held the role of the Army was more inclined to Germany in its army. While those who control the Navy are more inclined to Britain in their military strength. To run a modern state, an efficient military organization is an absolute necessity. A military service monopolized by the Samurai class not only reflected the feudal system, but was also a serious obstacle to efforts to abolish the feudal class system. Therefore, the Samurai was disbanded and changed to the National Army.

In addition, the government also issued a regulation to abolish Haito-Rei which forbids Samurai to carry the Katana which is the weapon of the Samurai. This led to the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877. The Satsuma group, which was originally a supporter of reform and the government, turned against the government.

The impact of this rebellion was not only felt for the samurai class but also for the government. For the samurai group, this rebellion was the end of the physical resistance of the privileged class in Japanese society, and the expression of aspirations changed its path to the formation of political parties or bureaucratic paths. For the government this rebellion proved that modern weapons were more efficient than traditional weapons.

In order to strengthen the military, the government immediately took over the facilities for manufacturing weapons and their use for the war industry. By opening the first railroad in 1872 plans for the expansion of the war industry could be realized, but this was not sufficient to meet the needs of the planned expansion of military power. Therefore in 1873 the government introduced general conscription to replace the old class-based pattern for military service. To advance this new army, the government required all males aged 20 years and over to serve in the military, with a few exceptions.

In addition, the government immediately sent an envoy named Yamagata Aritomo to France and Prussia (Germany) to study modern military organization based on the Western model. Yamagata Aritomo was very instrumental in the development of the Army in Choshu, wanting that to raise Japan's dignity on an equal footing with other countries, especially modern Western countries, Japan must have modern military strength and be respected by other countries. For that purpose, in 1872, the government promulgated the Military Conscription Regulation.

On December 28, 1872, the Emperor promulgated the Law on conscription, the contents of which were in accordance with the government's official instructions on November 28, 1872, aimed at all male citizens of all classes who had reached the age of 20. They are required to enter the military (Army and Navy), to maintain national security, in order to carry out the slogan Fukoku Kyo Hei (wealthy country, Strong Military). Also aimed at ending military posts by a class of Samurai that had monopolized for centuries. Also to intend to cultivate Japanese nationalism. And the government calls for the dissemination of this law to all the people by district heads and village heads.

Upon his return to Japan, Yamagata Aritomo formed a Japanese army consisting of Samurai and the common people. In 1878 Yamagata organized the General Staff of the Japanese Armed Forces on the Prussian (German) model and in 1883 a Military Academy was built, so that young Japanese officers did not need to be sent to study abroad. The Navy's development plan began with the manufacture of ship hulls by Japan itself. This was intended for Japanese escort purposes.

Meiji Restoration in Economics

During the Tokugawa reign, the family played an important role in training skills. Generally people expect that a child will continue the work of his father. Thus, the storehouse of work and skills that a family carries is taught and practiced at home.

The strength of traditional family ties is mainly due to the dependence on each other of its members in the economy. Work is tied to the family, not to individuals, because the family is a unit of production. To earn family income, it is necessary to work together with the whole family. The normal and safe way for a boy is to continue the family work, because then training, capital and help in times of emergency will always be available and are an important help for his survival. In a limited economic setting, the power to refuse to inherit the family business belongs to the father. A strong reason why a child must submit to the authority of his father, is because the rebellious nature will reduce the space for him to live outside the field of family work.

In the economic field, Japan has experienced rapid development in trade and industry. With the advancement of the field of education with the Western education system implemented by the Japanese state, coupled with the large number of Japanese students who were sent abroad and the large number of teaching staff from Europe who were brought to Japan to provide education, Japan had quality human resources. Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Japan was a country with an agricultural society and only continued family businesses from generation to generation. However, after the Meiji Restoration, Japan became very superior in manufacturing. There were construction of roads, railways and land tenure reforms.

In an effort to increase private industry, the government built new industries through pilot factories which were initially financed and managed with government capital. To create industrial development opportunities and encourage Samurai to enter the business field, the government also made policies on the establishment of government companies and the creation of job opportunities.

Research centers, laboratories and schools have been established to train, assist and support various industries. After these industries are well organized and their businesses run well, the government will gradually sell them to private companies at low prices. This is also intended to stimulate industrial growth and business fields.

Due to the lack of experience and the absence of foreign capital, Japan's economic growth was very slow, not as expected. However, attempts to seek foreign loans were made only to Britain, and foreign investment was restricted, because the Japanese did not want a large part of their economy to be controlled by foreigners.

In its efforts to establish and build the company, the government used a lot of Western equipment and technology. The industrialists imported complete textile factories from France and brought in French technicians to install the equipment and teach the Japanese workers how to operate the equipment.

Along with economic modernization, to support industrial progress, the government created a modern banking system. In 1873 the National Bank was established following the example of the United States. The restructuring of the national financial system was also carried out in a fundamental way by following the European model. In 1899 the Banking Act was drafted and the Central Bank of Japan was established, to further encourage economic growth.

To capitalize on trade and help Japanese exporters compete with foreigners, the government established the Spacie Yokohama Bank as the main bank for foreign exchange. The Japanese Mortgage Bank (Nihon Kangyo Ginko) also provides long-term loans to support industrial development. In addition, the government began to introduce a basic financial system with a decimal system with the Yen as the unit, and began to accept the use of gold as the standard for their economy.

Meiji Restoration in the field of Culture

Japan in the Meiji era was a turning point in the development of politics, economics and education in Japan by imitating the systems of Western countries, and in the field of culture also received influence from Western countries. However, despite being influenced by the West, the original Japanese culture is still preserved to this day, such as Kimono Clothing, tea ceremonies, the art of flower arrangement and the creation of natural landscape gardens, which stem from Japanese customs and customs that have been in effect for hundreds of years. then are the joints of Japanese culture.

The Japanese are very concerned about the development of art, both as spectators and performers. Since the war there has been vigorous international art exchange. Many Japanese paintings and other works of art are exhibited overseas.

Thus an explanation of the history of the Meiji Restoration in which the reforms in Japan carried out by the Meiji emperor were intended to restore the royal government under the emperor's rule. Hopefully this explanation about the Meiji Restoration can be useful.