Modernization Of Japan Essay

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In general, the definition of modernization of a nation is that it is where a nation undergo a developmental transformation from traditional to a more modern nation and it is also known to be the step of development that initiate the nation to adapt to a modern way of thinking and acting (Modernization, n.d.) . In the case of the modernization of Japan, it was believed to have begun in the period of the Meiji era after the Tokugawa era. Peter Duus (1976) mentioned a quote by Gustav Lebon that “Japan was like a bright comet the suddenly tracing a path across the sky, exploding into a vision of an outside world that for centuries had hardly taken notice of it” . In other words it means that Japan from the very beginning the modernization was believed to be outstanding . There were several statements that claimed that there were a number of significant and contributing factors which had led to the modernization of Japan. This essay will also be discussing how the Japanese become had become modern and an industrialized nation and what were the responses toward the modernized Japan.
Firstly, this essay will discuss what is Japan made of and then moving on to the period before the Meiji era because it was believed that the prior era before the Meiji era was a contributing factor of the modernization of Japan. According to Janet E. Hunter (1989), Japan was made up of islands that lies in an arch off the mainland of Northeast Asia and the four major islands were Hokkaido, Shikoku and Kyushu . Before the Meiji era of Japan, Hunter (1989) had noted that over the last twelve hundred years Japan was ruled under an imperial house that was stated to be a descendent of the Yamato clan, who had long pre-existed controlled over the central of Japa...

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... Japanese modernization . Duus (1976) claimed that the Japanese modernization was not entirely based on the Western models, the development of Japan to modern has also managed uphold the influence of cultural heritage without surrendering their national independence . Furthermore, the Japanese traditions were seen as traits that were essential assets for the modernization of Japan .
In conclusion, Japan had modernize by the influence of West and also at the same time by the influence of their own custom and cultural heritage. As Duus (1976) has stated that the present day Japan is “modern and uniquely Japanese” . As it has been discuss above the modernization of Japan did not happened on impulse it was due to several significant factors and contributing factors. The responses received on the modernization were positively accepted and embrace by the Japanese leaders.

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