Foreign student (hereinafter FS): Japan’s revolution, the “Meiji Restoration” is often cited as a model for developing countries, could you please explain this to me?
Teacher (hereinafter T): It began in 1853 when the so called “black ships” of the American fleet led by Commodore Perry appeared on Japan’s coast.
So as not to fall under the influence of foreign religions, with only a few exceptions, Japan had closed its doors to foreign countries for over 200 years.
Therefore when Perry demanded the ports be opened, Japan fell into turmoil.
FS: During this era, it was not the Emperor’s court, but the Shogun’s shoganate that was actually in power, correct?
T: Yes, that’s right.
The shogunate decided to open some ports without permission from the Emperor, Japan’s legitimate ruler.
Anticipating aggression from foreign countries, the imperial court was enraged by this decision.
During this period Asian countries had been colonized by powerful western nations.
China was also invaded after being defeated in the Opium War, so there was a high risk of Japan being invaded.
As a result, a pro-imperial movement which advocated ousting foreign forces and overthrowing the shogunate rose to prominence.
FS: The Satsuma domain, present day Kagoshima Prefecture and the Choshu domain, present day Yamaguchi Prefecture had a big part to play in overthrowing the shogunate. Am I correct?
T: You’re very well informed. In the beginning the Satsuma domain supported the shogunate and fought against the Choshu domain.
It was SAKAMOTO Ryoma, who brought together the two domains.
FS: What made it possible?
T: The Choshu domain fought against the foreign forces, but was completely overpowered and suffered a crushing defeat.
On the other hand, people like ITO Hirobumi, who later became Japan’s first prime minister, studied in Britain and were astonished by Western civilization.
Rather than throwing out foreigners, they prioritized overthrowing the shogunate which was clinging to an old fashioned system of government.
FS: Ryoma is said to be one of the most popular historical figures in Japan.
What were his other achievements?
T: He suggested the shogunate return sovereignty to the imperial court without a struggle.
TOKUGAWA Yoshinobu, who became the last shogun, voluntarily restored political power to the court.
But, anti-shogunate forces who wanted to remove the influence of the shogunate by destroying the Tokugawa clan became more powerful.
KATSU Kaishu, an influential advisor to the shogunate negotiated with SAIGO Takamori, the leader of the anti-shogunate forces, which had drawn near Edo castle.
Then, persuaded to stop the senseless killing; Saigo agreed to the cease-fire.
FS: It’s incredible that the regime change was carried out without bloodshed, with Yoshinobu voluntarily leaving Edo castle.
T: What impresses me most is that those heroes of the Meiji Restoration were all young men in their 20s and early 30s.
They were motivated not by ambition, but by a selfless desire to protect their country from foreign powers.
留学生
ryuugakusei
foreign student
(以下、留):
ika, ryuu
hereinafter FS
日本の革命
nihonn no kakumei
Japan’s revolution
「明治維新」は、
meiji ishinn ha,
(the) Meiji Restoration
開発途上国
kaihatsu tojyoukoku
developing countries
されています。
sarete imasu.
is (often) cited
説明して
setsumei shite
explain (this to me)
いただけませんか。
itadake masenn ka.
could (you) please
(以下、先):
ika, senn
hereinafter T
ペリー提督
peri- teitoku
Perry Commodore
黒船と
kurofune to
(the) black ship
呼ばれる
yobareru
of < called>
アメリカの
amerika no
American
艦隊が
kanntai ga
(the) fleet
日本の海岸
nihonn no kaigann
Japan’s coast
現れた
arawareta
(when) appeared
1853年
sennhappyaku gojyuusannnenn
eighteen fifty-three [year]
始まります。
hajimarimasu.
(it) began
外国の宗教
gaikoku no shuukyou
foreign religions
影響を
eikyou wo
(the) influence
受けない
ukenai
not to fall under
一部の国を除き
ichibu no kuni wo nozoki
with only a few exceptions <nations>
200年
nihyaku nenn
two hundred years
外国
gaikoku
foreign countries
扉を
tobira wo
(its) doors
閉ざしていました。
tozashite imashita
had closed
開港を
kaikou wo
(the) ports be opened
要求する
youkyuu suru
demanded
大混乱
daikonnrann
turmoil
陥ったのです。
ochiitta no desu.
fell
この時代、
kono jidai,
(during) this era
実権を握っていた
jikkenn wo nigitte ita
was actually in power
天皇の朝廷
tennnou choutei
(the) Emperor’s court
将軍の
shougunn no
(the) Shogun’s
その通り。
sono toori.
that’s right
幕府は
bakufu ha
(the) shogunate
正当な
seitou na
legitimate
天皇
tennnou
(the) Emperor
承諾
shoudaku
permission
開港を
kaikou wo
to open (some) ports
決定してしまいました。
kettei shite shimai mashita.
decided
外国
gaikoku
foreign countries
侵略を
shinnryaku wo
aggression
心配していた
shinnpai shite ita
anticipating
朝廷は、
choutei ha,
(the) imperial court
その決定
sono kettei
this decision
激怒したのです。
gekido shita no desu.
was enraged
その頃
sonokoro
(during) this period
アジア諸国は、
ajia shokoku ha,
Asian countries
強国
kyoukoku
powerful nations
植民地化されていました。
shokuminnchika sarete imashita.
had been colonized
アヘン戦争
ahenn sennsou
(the) Opium War
敗れて
yaburete
after being defeated
侵略されていた
shinnryaku sarete ita
was invaded
侵略される
shinnryaku sareru
being invaded
危険が
kikenn ga
(a) risk (of)
高かったのです。
takakatta no desu.
there was high
その結果、
sono kekka,
as a result
外国勢の
gaikoku zei no
foreign forces
掲げ
kakage
(which) advocated and
幕府を
bakufu wo
(the) shogunate
倒そうとする
taosou to suru
overthrowing
親朝廷派が
shinn choutei ha
(a) pro-imperial movement <facts>
台頭してきました。
taitou shite kimashita.
rose to prominence
薩摩藩、
satsuma hann,
(the) Satsuma domain
現在の
gennzai no
present day
鹿児島県
kagoshima kenn
Kagoshima Prefecture
長州藩、
choushuu hann,
(the) Choshu domain
現在の
gennzai no
present day
山口県は
yamaguchi kenn ha
Yamaguchi Prefecture
幕府を
bakufu wo
(the) shogunate
大きな役割を
ookina yakuwari wo
big (a) part
果たした
hatashita
had - to play in
のではないですか。
no deha nai desuka.
am (I) correct
知っていますね。
shitte imasu ne.
(you)’re informed
薩摩藩は
satsuma hann ha
(the) Satsuma domain
当初、
tousho,
in the beginning
幕府を
bakufu wo
(the) shogunate
支持し
shiji shi
supported and
長州藩
choushuu hann
(the) Choshu domain
戦いました。
tatakai mashita.
fought
その二つの藩を
sono futatsu no hann wo
the two domains
同盟させたのが、
doumei saseta no ga,
(who) brought together <allied>
坂本龍馬
sakamoto ryouma
Sakamoto Ryoma
実現したのですか。
jitsugenn shita no desuka.
made possible
長州藩は
choushuu hann ha
(the) Choshu domain
外国勢
gaikokuzei
(the) foreign forces
戦います
tatakai masu
fought
圧倒的な
attouteki na
completely <overwhelming>
力の差で
chikara no sa de
was overpowered and
大敗します。
taihai shimasu.
suffered (a) crushing defeat
一方では、
ippou deha,
on the other hand
総理大臣と
souri daijinn to
prime minister
伊藤博文
itou hirobumi
Ito Hirobumi
留学し、
ryuugaku shi,
studied and
西洋の文明
seiyou no bunnmei
Western civilization
驚きます。
odoroki masu.
were astonished
外国人の
gaikokujinn no
foreigners
政治体制
seijitaisei
a(n) system of government
しがみつく
shigamitsuku
(which) was clinging
幕府を
bakufu wo
(the) shogunate
倒すことを
taosu koto wo
overthrowing
優先させたのです。
yuusenn saseta no desu.
prioritized
人気のある
ninnki no aru
popular
歴史上の
rekishi jyou no
historical
一人と
hitori to
(to be) one
いわれます。
iware masu.
is said
功績が
kouseki ga
(his) achievements
あるのですか。
aru no desu ka.
what were ?
戦わず
tatakawazu
without (a) struggle
政権を
seikenn wo
sovereignty
朝廷
choutei
(the) imperial court
幕府に
bakufu ni
(the) shogunate
働きかけました。
hataraki kake mashita.
suggested
徳川慶喜は、
tokugawa yoshinobu ha,
Tokugawa Yoshinobu
政権を
seikenn wo
political power
朝廷
choutei
(the) [imperial] court
返還したのです。
hennkann shita no desu.
restored
徳川家を
tokugawa ke wo
(the) Tokugawa clan
幕府
bakufu
(the) shogunate
影響力を
eikyouryoku wo
(the) influence
取り除こうとする
torinozokou to suru
(who) wanted to remove
反幕府軍は、
hannbakufu gunn ha,
anti -shogunte forces
勢いを増してしまいました。
ikioi wo mashite shimai mashita.
became more powerful
幕府
bakufu
(the) shogunate
実力者、
jitsuryokusha,
(an) influential advisor
勝海舟は、
katsukaishuu ha,
Katsu Kaishu
江戸城
edojyou
Edo castle
近づいていた
chikaduite ita
(which) had drawn
反幕府軍
hannbakufu gunn
(the) anti-shogunate forces
司令官、
shireikann,
(the) leader
西郷隆盛
saigou takamori
Saigo Takamori
交渉しました。
koushou shimashita.
negotiated
無意味さを
muimisa wo
(to stop the) senseless
攻撃停止
kougekiteishi
(the) cease-fire
同意したのです。
doui shita no desu.
agreed
慶喜は
yoshinobu ha
(with) Yoshinobu
江戸城を
edojyou wo
Edo castle
自主的に
jishuteki ni
voluntarily
血を流さずに
chi wo nagasazu ni
without bloodshed
政権交代が
seikenn koutai ga
(the) regime change
行われた
okonawareta
was carried out
信じがたいですね。
shinnjigatai desu ne.
(it)’s incredible
本当にすごいのは、
honntou ni sugoi noha,
what impresses (me) most
明治維新
meiji ishinn
(the) Meiji Restoration
立役者が
tateyakusha ga
(those) heroes
20代、
nijuudai,
(in their) twenties
30代
sannjuudai
(and) thirties
のためでなく、
no tame de naku,
not by but
純粋に
jyunnsui ni
(by a) selfless desire
外国の勢力
gaikokuno seiryoku
foreign powers
国を
kuni wo
(their) country
守りたいという
mamoritai to iu
to protect
思いからでした。
omoikara deshita.
(they) were motivated