Japan Isolationism vs Adaptation

Canada needs to address the changing economic, environmental, and social issues facing our nation today. I believe, we can either take an isolationism policy stand or one of rapid adaptation.Since the mid-19th century, Japan has witnessed dramatic changes in it's national policy - from isolation to eager borrowing from other cultures, from emperor worship to democracy. Its sustainability and adaptiveness and reviewing these examples on strengths and weaknesses in the Japanese culture would best provide a basis for our decision.

Japan has undergone two social, political, and economic changes in its history, both of which drastically and permanently altered the nation’s course. The first one during the “Edo” period (1603 – 1867), when the country isolated itself from the rest of the world and was ruled by a feudal government. The following 30 years saw rapid adaptation (Meiji period (from 1868 - 1912)) of japan based on Western civilization. There were numerous changes to both culture and economic advances including technological but also the destruction of numerous common practices within the Meiji era.

During most of the Edo Period, Japan was closed off to the world, suffered no invasion from the outside, and had virtually no exchange with other countries. For the most part, it was a peaceful period, with almost no war inside the country, and marked a remarkable time of development in the economy and culture of Japan.During the Edo period little change happened in Japan. This had a huge effect on the country. The isolationism policy hugely affected the beliefs in Japan, there was peace throughout the country.

Japan had a religion based upon different religions combined. It has “Shinto, worship of Kami,” “The Confucian code of correct behavior,” and “Buddhist, value of self discipline.”Buddhism was a fact of life and death during the Tokugawa period (1600-1868): every household was expected to be affiliated with a Buddhist temple, and every citizen had to be given a Buddhist funeral. Instilling these beliefs was a means of government to to control outside beliefs especially Christianity, to maintain its power and control.Life in the Edo period was strictly hierarchical with the people divided into four distinct classes: samurai, farmers, craftspeople, and merchants. It was a class society: The ruling class was samurai (military men who were permitted to carry a sword).

Then farmers (ranked no.2), craftspeople (no.3), merchants (no.4).

There was a big gap between the samurai class and other classes. Farmers were officially placed no.2 because they paid the rice tax, but they were not particularly respected. Below all of these classes, there were also outcasts (eta, hinin and Ainu).Individuals had no legal rights in Edo Japan.

However, family status and privileges was of great importance at all levels of society.Environmentally, Japan became a source for inspiration for environmentalists today because of their creative ways of recycling.In the Edo period Japan was able to self sustain without input of energy and material from the outside and depended solely on the solar energy. A Sustained Society: Japan of Edo Period - An Experience of Ultimate Sustainability.

The population density during the Edo period was approximately 80/km2, which is about twice as high as the present world population density. The country not only succeeded in sustaining its high population and a vibrant culture, but also improved its environment; it increased the forested area, made the soil more fertile and its waterways cleaner.Japan, for approximately 250 years during the Edo Period, was self-sufficient in all resources, since nothing could be imported from overseas due to the national policy of isolation.Almost all goods and materials for food, clothing and shelter were made from plants.

In this sense, almost everything was made from solar energy, with the exception of stone, metal, ceramics and other mineral-based materials.Economically, during the Edo period, Japan had rapid urban growth, increased shipping of commodities, a significant expansion of domestic and, some foreign production, and a growth of trade and handicraft industries. The construction trades flourished, along with banking and merchant facilities. The han authorities oversaw the rising agricultural production and the spread of rural handicrafts.By the mid-eighteenth century, Edo had a population of more than 1 million and Osaka and Kyoto each had more than 400,000 inhabitants. Osaka and Kyoto became busy trading and handicraft production centers, while Edo was the center for the supply of food and essential urban consumer goods.

Rice was the base of the economy, as the daimyo collected the taxes from the peasants in the form of rice. Taxes were high, about 40% of the harvest. To raise money, the daimyo used forward contracts to sell rice that was not even harvested yet. These contracts were similar to modern futures trading. ( A standardized contract between two parties to buy or sell a specified asset of standardized quantity and quality at a specified future date at a price agreed today).

In contrast, from 1868, the Meiji period made for economic expansion. Meiji rulers embraced the concept of a free market economy and adopted British and North American forms of free enterprise. Japanese went to study overseas and Western scholars were hired to teach in Japan. Japan grasped the Western culture. This eager adoption emerged Japan as the most developed nation in Asia.

Also a huge change from Edo to Meiji is their change in monetary currency from rice to money.The country had been so isolated from the rest of the world in terms of trade it was difficult for them to find a market they could grow and develop. One industry in which Japanese businesses did compete successfully was the silk industry.The economy flourished during the Meiji period and much economic expansion happened.

The government built new railway and shipping lines, a telegraph and telephone systems, three shipyards, ten mines, five munitions works, and fifty-three consumer industries (making sugar, glass, textiles, cement, chemicals, and other important products). This rapid growth also made for a strain on resources and finances within the country. A unified currency based on the yen was also adopted at this time.With this new industrialization came the demand for coal. Two of the things the coal was needed for were steamships and railroads.

These also grew drastically. Coal production increased and was on an incredible upswing. The chart below demonstrates this rapid rise in coal production.