Timeline of the Annexation  of Korea

Insight into the Subject | 韓国併合の経緯

Timeline of the Annexation of Korea

The late 19th century was an age in which powerful western nations were competing to colonize Asian nations. When Qing (present day China) was defeated in the Opium Wars and invaded by the UK, Japan faced the risk of being the next target. And the Meiji Restoration broke out over the future of Japan. It was a dispute between groups supporting the Emperor and those supporting the Shogunate that ruled Japan at that time. The new government formed by the victorious supporters of the Emperor succeeded in carrying out a modernization of Japan. They then adopted a policy of promoting national wealth and military strength in preparation for invasion by Western nations. Japan was afraid that if Asian countries failed to modernize, sooner or later they would be colonized, and Japan encouraged the Joseon Dynasty (present day Korea), which was a vassal state of Qing at that time, to modernize and become an independent nation. However, the Joseon Dynasty continued to remain under the old political system, and the Qing dynasty viewed Japan’s actions towards Joseon as an attempt to interfere with the Qing regime. This eventually led to the Japan-Sino War, which Japan won. In 1897 Joseon was no longer a vassal state of Qing, but an independent nation, officially changing its name to the Korean Empire. After that, Russia aimed to expand its influence to the south, putting pressure on Japan. Perceiving this as weakness on Japan’s part, Korea approached Russia. This became a turning point and the Japan-Russia War occurred in 1904, which Japan won after a fierce battle. Japan distrusted Korea’s opportunistic policy makers and seized diplomatic and military rights to the country, making it a protectorate. The leader of Korea appealed to the Hague Conferences in 1907, saying that the treaty with Japan was unfair. However, the international community didn’t acknowledge their claims. In 1909 ITO Hirobumi, the first Japanese Resident-General of Korea (Japan’s first Prime Minister) was assassinated by a Korean. Ito had opposed the annexation of Korea. This paved the way for it. Well-disposed powers in Korea towards Japan and the international community supported the annexation. Many people take the view that Russia would have occupied the country if Japan hadn’t annexed it. The main purpose of the colonial policies of western countries was exploitation. Japan actually invested a huge amount of money in Korea’s infrastructure – including the construction of schools and roads – just as they had done in Japan. This is why Taiwan and Palau, which were governed by Japan in a similar way, are now pro-Japan. Taking a global historical view, a significant amount of people say that Japan played a huge role in encouraging the independence and modernization of Asian countries.

19世紀じゅうきゅうせいき後半こうはんは、
jyuukyuu'seiki kouhann ha,
(the) late nineteenth century
西洋せいよう列強れっきょう
seiyou no rekkyou ga
western nations powerful
アジアあじあ諸国しょこく
ajia shokoku de
Asian nations
植民地しょくみんち獲得かくとく競争きょうそう
shokuminnchi kakutoku kyousou wo
competing to colonize
ひろげていた
kurihirogete ita
in which were
時代じだい
jidai
(an) age
でした。
deshita.
was
しん
shinn
Qing
現在げんざい中国ちゅうごく)が
gennzai no chuugoku ga
present day China
アヘンあへん戦争せんそう
ahenn sennsou
(the) Opium Wars
ni
in
やぶれて
yaburete
was defeated and
イギリスいぎりす
igirisu
the UK
ni
by
侵略しんりゃく
sinnryaku
invaded
され、
sare,
when
日本にほん
niohonn ha
Japan
つぎ標的ひょうてきにされる
tsugino hyouteki ni sareru
being (the) next target
危機きき
kikini
(the) risk of
直面ちょくめんしていました。
chokumenn shite imashita.
faced
そして
soshite
and
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
no
of
針路しんろ
shinnro wo
the future
めぐって、
megutte,
over
明治めいじ維新いしん
meiji ishinn ga
the Meiji Restoration
こりました。
okori mashita.
broke out
それは
soreha
it
天皇てんのう
tennnou wo
(the) Emperor
中心ちゅうしんとした
chuushinn to shtia
supporting
グループぐるーぷ
guru-pu
group(s)
to
and
当時とうじ
touji no
at that time
日本にほん
nihonn wo
Japan
おさめていた
osameteita
(that) ruled
幕府ばくふ
bakufu no
(those supporting the) Shogunate
あいだでの
aidadeno
between
あらそ
arasoi
(a) dispute
でした。
deshita.
was
勝利しょうりした
shouri shita
(the) victorious
天皇派てんのうは
tennouha
(supporters) of the Emperor
による
niyoru
formed by
新政府しんせいふ
shinnseifu ha
(the) new government
近代化きんだいか
kinndaika ni
(carrying out a) modernization (of Japan)
成功せいこうします。
seikou shimasu.
succeeded in
そして
soshite
then
富国ふこく強兵きょうへい政策せいさく
fukoku kyouhei seisaku wo
(a) policy of promoting national wealth and military strength
とり、
tori,
(they) adopted
西洋せいよう
seiyou
Western nations
からの
karano
by
侵略しんりゃく
sinnryaku
invasion
ni
for
そなえます。
sonae masu.
in preparation
日本にほん
nihonn ha
Japan
アジアあじあ諸国しょこく
ajia syokoku ga
Asian countries
近代化きんだいか
kinndaika wo
to modernize
はからなければ、
hakaranakereba,
if failed
いずれは
izureha
sooner or later
植民地しょくみんちとされる
shokuminnchi to sareru
(they) would be colonized
ことを
kotowo
that
懸念けねんし、
kenenn shi,
was afraid and
当時とうじ
touji,
at that time
しん
shinn
Qing
no
of
属国ぞっこく
zokkoku
(a) vassal state
であった
deatta
(which) was
朝鮮ちょうせん王朝おうちょう
chousenn ouchou
(the) Joseon Dynasty
現在げんざい韓国かんこく)に、
gennzaino kannkoku ni,
present day Korea
近代化きんだいか
kinndaika
to modernize
to
and
独立国どくりつこく
dokuritsukoku
(an) independent nation
になるよう
ninaruyou
become
はたらきかけます。
hatarakikakemasu.
(Japan) encouraged
しかし、
shikashi,
however
朝鮮ちょうせんでは
chousenn deha
Joseon (Dynasty)
ふる体制たいせい
furui taisei ga
(the) old political system
つづきき、
tsuzuki,
continued to remain (under) and
しん
shinnha
the Qing dynasty
朝鮮ちょうせん
chousenn
Joseon
たいする
ni taisuru
towards
日本にほん行為こうい
nihonn no koui ha
Japan’s actions
しん体制たいせい
shinn taisei
the Qing regime
への
heno
with
干渉かんしょう
kannshou
(an attempt) to interfere
to
as
ました。
mimashita.
viewed
これが
korega
this
日清にっしん戦争せんそう
nissinnsennsou
the Japan-Sino War
ni
to
発展はってんし、
hattenn shi,
(eventually) led which
日本にほん
nihonn ha
Japan
勝利しょうりします。
shouri shimasu.
won
朝鮮ちょうせん王朝おうちょう
chousenn ouchou ha
Joseon [Dynasty]
1897年せんはっぴゃくきゅうじゅうななねん
sennhappyaku kyuujyuunana nenn
eighteen - ninety seven [year]
ni
in
しん
shinn
Qing
no
of
属国ぞっこく
zokkoku
(a) vassal state
ではなくなり、
deha nakunari,
was no longer but
大韓だいかん帝国ていこく
daikan teikoku
the Korean Empire
to
to
改称かいしょうして
kaishou shite
changing its name
正式せいしき
seishiki ni
officially
独立国どくりつこく
dokuritsukoku to
(an) independent nation
なりました。
narimashita.
[became]
その
sonogo
after that
ロシアろしあ
roshia ga
Russia
南下なんか
nannka wo
to expand (its influence) to the south
もくろみ、
mokuromi,
aimed and
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
ni
on
圧力あつりょく
atsuryoku wo
pressure
かけます。
kakemasu.
putting
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan’s part
wo
on
弱腰よわごし
yowagoshi
weakness
to
as
mita
perceiving (this)
韓国かんこく
kannkoku ha
Korea
ロシアろしあ
roshia ni
Russia
接近せっきんします。
sekkinn shimasu.
approached
これが契機けいきとなって
korega keiki to natte
this became a turning point and
1904年せんきゅうひゃくよねん
sennkyuuhyakuyonenn
nineteen-four [year]
ni
in
日露にちろ戦争せんそう
nichiro'sennsou ga
the Japan-Russia War
こり、
okori,
occurred which
日本にほん
nihonn ha
Japan
激戦げきせん
gekisenn no
(a) fierce battle
すえ
sue ni
after
勝利しょうりします。
shouri shimasu.
won
日本にほん
nihonn ha
Japan
韓国かんこく日和見ひよりみてき
kannkoku wo hiyorimi tekini mite
Korea’s opportunistic policy makers
不信感ふしんかんいだき、
fushinnkann wo idaki
distrusted and
外交権がいこうけん軍事権ぐんじけん
gaikoukenn to gunnji kenn wo
diplomatic and military rights (to the country)
にぎ
nigiri
seized
韓国かんこく
kannkoku wo
it <Korea>
保護国ほごこく
hogokoku
(a) protectorate
とします。
to shimasu.
making (it)
韓国かんこく
kannkoku
Korea
no
of
指導者しどうしゃ
shidousha ha
(the) leader
1907年せんきゅうひゃくななねん
sennkyuuhyakunana nenn
nineteen-seven [year]
no
in
万国ばんこく平和へいわ会議かいぎ
bannkoku heiwa kaigi
the Hague Conferences
で、
de,
to
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
との
tono
with
条約じょうやく
jyouyaku ha
(the) treaty
不平等ふびょうどう
fubyoudou
was unfair
だと
dato
saying that
うったえました。
uttaemashita.
appealed
しかし、
shikashi,
however
国際こくさい社会しゃかい
kokusai'shakai ha
(the) international community
それを
sorewo
their claims <it>
みとめませんでした。
mitomemasenn deshita.
didn’t acknowledge
1909年せんきゅうひゃくきゅうねん
sennkyuuhyakukyuu nenn
(in) nineteen-nine [year]
韓国かんこく統監府とうかんふ初代しょだい統監とうかん
kannkoku no toukannfu shodai toukann no
the first Japanese Resident-General of Korea
伊藤いとう博文ひろぶみ
itou hirobumi
Ito Hirobumi
初代しょだい日本にほん総理そうり大臣だいじん)が
shodai nihonn souridaijinn ga
Japan’s first Prime Minister
韓国人かんこくじん
kannkokujinn
(a) Korean
によって
niyotte
by
暗殺あんさつされました。
annsatsu saremashita.
was assassinated
伊藤いとう
itou ha
Ito
韓国かんこく
kannkoku
Korea
no
of
併合へいごう
heigou ni
(the) annexation
反対はんたいしていました。
hanntai shite imashita.
had opposed
これが
korega
this
併合へいごう
heigou
(the) annexation (of Korea)
no
(the) way for
要因よういんとなります。
youinn to narimasu.
paved
韓国かんこく
kannkoku no
Korea
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
ni
towards
肯定的こうていてき
kouteiteki na
well-disposed
勢力せいりょく
seiryoku
(the) powers
to
and
国際こくさい社会しゃかい
kokusai shakai ha
(the) international community supported
併合へいごう
heigou wo
(the) annexation
支持しじしました。
shiji shimashita.
supported
日本にほん
nihonn ga
Japan
併合へいごう
heigou
annexed (it)
しなかったら
shinakattara
hadn’t if
ロシアろしあ
roshia ga
Russia
占領せんりょうした
sennryou shita
would have occupied (the country)
との
tono
that
見方みかたをする
mikata wo suru
take (the) view
ひとはたくさんいます。
hito ha takusan imasu.
many people
西洋せいよう
seiyou
western countries
no
of
植民地しょくみんち政策せいさく
shokuminnchi seisaku
(the) colonial policies
no
of
おも
omona
main
目的もくてき
mokuteki ha
(the) purpose
搾取さくしゅ
sakushu
exploitation
でした。
deshita.
was
日本にほん
nihonn ha
Japan
学校がっこう
gakkou
schools
ya
and
道路どうろ建設けんせつする
douro wo kennsetsu suru
roads (the) construction (of)
など、
nado,
including
韓国かんこく
kannkoku
Korea’s
no
in
インフラいんふら整備せいび
innfura seibi
infrastructure
ni
in
日本にほん国内こくない
nihonn kokunai to
(they) had done in Japan
おなじように
onajiyouni
just as
巨額きょがく
kyogaku no
(a) huge amount of money
投資とうしをしました。
toushi wo shimashita.
(actually) invested
そのため、
sonotame,
this is why
同様どうよう
douyou
(a) similar way
ni
in
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
ni
by
統治とうちされた
touchi sareta
(which) were governed
台湾たいわん
taiwann
Taiwan
ya
and
パラオぱらお
parao ha
Palau
親日しんにちです。
shinnnichi desu.
are (now) pro-Japan
世界史せかいしてき視点してん
sekaishi teki shitenn
(a) global historical view
から
kara
[from]
みれれば、
mireba,
taking
日本にほん
nihonn ha
Japan
アジアあじあ諸国しょこく
ajia shokoku
Asian countries
no
of
独立どくりつ
dokuritsu
(the) independence
to
and
近代化きんだいか
kinndaika ni
modernization
おおきな役割やくわり
ookina yakuwari wo
(a) huge role (in encouraging)
たした
hatashita
played
という
toiu
that
こえ
koe mo
say
すくなくありません。
sukunakuarimasenn.
(a) significant amount of people

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