Read our samples before you start looking for any essay writing websites free. You then can for sure write your own perfect paper!
It is common practice to use Japan's experience with industrialization as a case study when discussing the topic of industrialization in non-Western countries. In the Meiji period (1868-1912), Japan began its rapid transition to an industrial economy. After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Japan took great strides toward industrialization, significantly improving its communication and transportation networks and reinventing its industrial production by the turn of the century (Okuma, 1900). The advancements made during the Edo period paved the way for Japan's rapid modernization during the early Meiji era.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), many commoners attended temple schools to learn to read and write. As a result, both the publishing industry and the educational system grew and developed. In those days, elementary schooling in Japan was unparalleled anywhere else. The Edo period's education system was a significant factor in Japan's industrial growth and the subsequent introduction of a capitalist economy in the Meiji period. It would also be instrumental in Japan becoming a significant world power (Okuma, 1900).
Since Meiji, Japan's leaders saw the Us and Europe as formidable foes as the country rapidly modernized and embraced the industry. Because of the West's growing interference in China and other places, Japan was on high alert. Many Meiji leaders believed Japan's security could only be ensured through rapid industrialization. This concept is frequently referred to as "defensive modernization." Japan's economy took a hit because of the country's lackluster manufacturing sector. On the island, they could not find any coal needed to make a fire. High tariffs, or import taxes, were placed on goods that could be produced in already industrialized countries.
Japan was so set on rapidly increasing its industrial output that it took extraordinary actions in the West. The government actively sought out business leaders to join its ranks. They invested massive amounts of tax money in the manufacturing sector. The group looked for new outlets to sell their wares and sources of supply. Similarly, to other industrialized societies, they expanded their economy by forcibly acquiring colonial outposts and establishing trading posts there. Early attention was focused on Korea because of its sizable population and natural resource wealth.
Class distinctions in Japan's Edo era were so rigid that some people could not afford an education. The Meiji Restoration was the final nail in the coffin of Japan's rigid class system, and the resulting more egalitarian and democratic framework unleashed the nation's full creative potential. Japan's rapid modernization and economic growth were facilitated by the country's newfound democracy (Kitaoka, 2018). The Meiji government looked to the examples the United States and Europe set to speed up this transition.
The most significant industry in Japan is the service industry. The service industry generates nearly three-quarters of Japan's gross domestic product (GDP). The industry comprises highly developed retail, banking, insurance, transportation, property investment, and telecommunications sectors. Changes in the service sector, which accounts for roughly 70% of Japan's GDP and approximately 75% of jobs, have wide-ranging effects on the country's economy.
The pace of Japanese industrialization dwarfed that of the West. Within 30 years, it had become sufficiently industrialized. The scientific advancements made by the West enabled its industrialization. They had to forge ahead on their own, learning new technologies as they went, unlike Japan, which could build off of the West's foundation. They could figure out how the various devices and systems worked by studying them in reverse. The importation of materials and components allowed Japan's railway industry to flourish before the country's iron and steel sector did. The manufacturing industry began developing while the iron and steel industries were developing. Coal and iron were abundant in the West's manufacturing regions. However, Japan was severely lacking in these areas and had to rely heavily on outside sources.
For this reason, Japan's industrial equipment industry has moved toward the coast. During the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, Japan did not depend on colonial funding. The Western industrial revolution was funded by colonial money invested voluntarily by wealthy landowners and businessmen.
Positive social outcomes resulted from the industrial revolution. There was a rise in material prosperity, output, and overall quality of life. People could eat better, live in safer places, and buy more for less. They built railways and factories. Additionally, the Industrial Revolution saw an increase in the availability of educational opportunities (Nakane, 1981). The process of industrialization and the spread of cities profoundly affected American society. More jobs were available, the social stratification system was reorganized, and the pace of life was accelerated thanks to the spread of British technology and intellectual advances. On the other hand, traditional values were weakened as modern ideas like productivity, individuality, materialism, and individualism was emphasized. This period coincided with the rise of a "majority society"2 in Japan that mirrored the United States "Roaring 20s"1.
The history of Japan's rapid industrialization is particularly fascinating. Japan is unique among non-Western societies in that it initiated industrialization and completed it at an unprecedented clip. Even now, it has the quickest-increasing economy in the world. The fact that Japan had a much longer path to walk than her precedents this scarce natural resources for economic prowess makes this accomplishment all the more remarkable (Landes, 1965). Neither "a place where stones are iron and out of which hills may extract brass" nor "a land of spacious fields and intrinsically fruitful soil" describes Japan. In particular, unlike Europe, Japan had no sizable coal deposits to support its respective economic growth. Japan made these advancements mostly on its own and not with as much assistance from elsewhere as did the countries that followed Continental Europe. On rare occasions, the government borrowed money from Western businesses and entrepreneurs, first in relatively small amounts during the trying years that followed the Restoration and then in a series of substantially more enormous sums beginning in 1899. The relative speed at which private enterprises jumped on the railroad's bandwagon is irrelevant. Compared to the economies of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, Japan has multiplied. Its fits and starts have been characterized by extremely rapid growth. However, it has taken some time to become as productive and financially successful as it is today.
Japan relies on trade to prop up its manufacturing sector because its highly educated labor force can turn raw materials like coal, oil, and minerals into finished goods that can be sold abroad for higher prices. The manufacturing sector in Japan has been the engine behind the country's impressive economic rise. Exports to other countries account for about 16 percent of Japan's gross domestic product. Unfortunately, Japan has few natural resources, and its agricultural production is still highly regulated. Mineral fuels, machinery, and food are among Japan's primary imports. China has become Japan's largest trading partner, surpassing the United States in 2008. Recent Japanese foreign investment and trade developments reflect this increased engagement with China. Japanese resilience will be aided by the country's latest economic reform measures and trade liberalization, which aim to make the economic system more open and flexible.
In conclusion, Japan is still a significant player in the global manufacturing sector. Nonetheless, the country's singular history means that its industrial economy continues to be dominated by large corporations, many of which have close ties to the government. While the changes in production and distribution that accompanied the Industrial Revolution apply to Japan, the country's position within this system is distinctive.
References
Kitaoka, S. (2018). The significance of the Meiji Restoration. Asia-Pacific Review, 25(1), 5–18. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13439006.2018.1475706
Landes, D. S. (1965). Japan and Europe: Contrasts in industrialization. Princeton University Press. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/III.-Japan-and-Europe%3A-Contrasts-in-Landes/9b6a53b8267b939beba8db5fec94608c5b9ac926
Nakane, C. (1981). Social Aspects of Japan's Industrialization. Studia Diplomatica, 675-684. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44838529
Okuma, C. (1900). The industrial revolution in Japan. The North American Review, 171(528), 677–691. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25105079
