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The name of the city was changed
into Tokio, which means 'the eastern capital'. The constitution
was brought and it created the Cabinet and two houses in
the Parliament.The old society division functioning in the
feudal times was abolished. The whole country started to
acquire the accomplishments of the modern western civilisation.
The Meiji's restoration can be compared to the breaking
of a dam unleashing the strength and energy collected throughout
centuries. The power of this energy was easy to notice outside
Japans borders. At the end of XIX century Japan got involved
into war with China (1894 - 1895) and won it. In return
China surrendered Taiwan to Japan. Ten years later a Japanese-Russian
war took place (1904 - 1905) which was also victorious to
Japan. Japan received the Southern Sakhalin, given to Russia
in 1875 in exchange for Kuril islands and with Japanese
influence in Manchuria.
After elimination all external
influences in Korea, Japan made it its protectorate in 1905
and then annexed it in 1910. The emperor Meiji died in 1912
just before the burst of the first world war. After the
war Japan, which joined it as a result of British-Japanese
alliance in 1902, had been considered one of the greatest
superpowers in the world. After Taisho emperor the succesor
of Meiji, emperor Hirohito claimed the throne in 1926. That
is how Showa period began. There was full of hope accompaning
the beginning of a new period. The coutry industrialisation
was more and more developed and political life was based
on a healthy founds of parliament. However, new and disturbing
factors appeared. The countires economy was shaken by the
world depression.
After reveal of many scandals the
local parties lost their trust of the public. The extremists
took advantage of this situation. Also the military clique
managed to benefit from the situation. The influences of
the political parties continued to decrease. As a result
of the Lugouqiao incident after the breaking of the Chinese
war all of the parties were forced to unite in a collaborate
military effort. Eventually the parties were terminated
and at their place another united national party entered.
The parliament, whose role and power was very limited, was
not able to stop the course of events leading to the outburst
of the Pacyfic war in 1941.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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