For centuries, most Koreans lived as subsistence farmers of rice and other grains and satisfied most of their basic needs through their own labor or through barter (Donald S. McDonald). However, by forcing Korea to open trade in 1876 and by creating and improving strong infrastructure, Korea was able to modernize during the colonial period. Railway lines were extended, and roads and harbors and communication networks were improved, which rapidly integrated goods and factor markets both nationally and internationally (Myung Soo Cha “The Economic History of Korea”). Hence, with the help of Japanese colonization, Korea was able to develop a strong infrastructure for the growth of its economy. This wasn’t the only positive case of the economic advancement caused by Japanese colonization.
For many farms in America, Japanese Americans could be seen working. For white farmers, this meant less work. Therefore, the relocation of the Japanese in America would only provide them with more jobs. As seen in documents 7 and 12, Japanese farmers on the west coast would not
The reserve source of the labor force which were the women, the elderly and the people in rural areas were also encouraged to participate in the workforce. Those solutions for the shortage of labor eventually made Japan able to function without a large supply of foreign workers, which identify Japan as an unusual "negative" case of migration. This is also the reason why the general theories of migration that were developed from the context of Western countries could not apply to the case of Japan. Bartram suggests that rather than using the most general theories of migration developed in the Western world to explain this phenomenon, other factors could be considered such as cultural factor. For example, the idea of homogeneous nation has refrained Japan from getting people from the outside.
Japan soon became the first Asian country that had been through the stage of industrialization at that time. Japan started to industrialized during the Meiji Era which is about 1868 to 1912, Japan was able to industrialize because government encouraged businesses and trade, social order was reorganized and people began to accept western technology while some began to expertise. Government encouraged new businesses and trade by giving support on capital needs, they also sent diplomats to Europe and North America to study Western style of culture. Social order was reorganized by creating a large middle class of businessman, at the same time, unemployment was also resolved. The idea of westernization first started during the Tokugawa era and then slowly spread throughout the country.
Japanese American were one of the major sources of labor, main forces to the agriculture and some families even had their own lands. This order prevented them to work which cut down the large amount of experience labors and decreased the tax collections. In addition, because of Japanese did not have enough of time to prepare for the relocation, they had to sell their home with the cheap price which reduce the competition of land market. The housing price and labor sources were unstable, and weak. Many families lost their homes, farms, jobs and other properties.
The immigration was due to incentives from the State Government of Sao Paulo, to promote the colonization of the region and stimulate the economy through the expansion of agricultural production. Poor Japanese families affected by the unemployment came to Brazil with the illusion of prosperity due to its broad natural and unexplored territories. A private Japanese company named KKKK (Kaigai Kogio Kabushiki Kaisha) provided financial support, selling territories to the families before their arrival in Brazil. The reality of the new habitat forced the Japanese immigrants to reinterpret they cultural traditions in order to adapt to the new geographical, economical and social circumstances. The Japanese suffered from a cultural clash, mainly due to the linguistic barrier, which impeded them to develop financially.
As well as the fact that many Japanese held dual citizenship, meaning they were able to travel freely throughout both America and Japan. This worried many officials, leading to the suspicion that Japanese-Americans had been conspiring against the United States from under their very noses, thinking that perhaps maybe the enemy lie in the very grounds of which they slept. Furthermore leading to the legalization of Executive order 9066 by the Supreme Court. It has been pointed out that Japanese-Americans had been singled out and punished due to the fact that they were the only ones among the axis nations that had attacked the United States. Even though no record records that any Japanese-Americans ever rebelled against the United States, during that time no one could be sure, (Point/Counterpoint: The Japanese-American
Their western-taught ways could heavily affect many Koreans, especially through their products, and possibly other western things such as religion could leak in. He also adds how peace would eventually lead to conflict and that Japan’s friendly relations with Korea would have ulterior motives. In hindsight, it is somber how accurate his predictions regarding Japan were. Not only did Japan follow their own manifest destiny as America attempted, expanding their empire throughout Asia, even defeating the Russians in combat with their upgraded weapons, they would eventually colonize Korea and claim them as Japanese subjects starting in 1910 and ending with Hirohito’s declaration in 1945. Ikhyon was right that Japan would have a major impact on Korea nearly changing its history and destroying the Korean culture and
occupies a small amount of land and has a large population, with little material out of which to manufacture, hence has to rely upon the material imported from other countries” (Document 37- DBQ 14). By industrializing, Japan was able to dominate in the sale of manufactured goods like textiles, to those areas abroad that it was closer to than the more powerful Western countries. The success in economics greatly advanced imperialism in nations with more money, trade, and raw
After almost a century of war, the Tokugawa shogunate closed off any possible western influence. The shogunate forcefully eliminated Christianity for their country in an attempt to succeed. They also isolated themselves with the exception keeping close relations with Korea and China. During this period, the Japanese economy thrived because the Tokugawa regime kept peasants focusing on agriculture and nothing else. As the period continued, Japan cities grew due to industrial advances.