The time has come, for a new generation and time of great change. We the great nation of Japan have been under the Tokugawa rule for so long, and our advancements, compared to Europe have not even compared. We are have finally learned the new path we had to embark to achieve greatness around the world once again. During the Meiji reign, Mutsuhito, our great emperor, Nijo Nariyuki, the regent, and the Meiji oligarchs, have uplifted our country to compete as a world power. Our motto, fukoku kyohei, "A Rich Country and a Strong Military" has gotten us far in the world. With a strong military and a vigorous and ever growing economy, we have kept our independence and hopefully our supremacy. Our great leaders have understood and learned from the mistakes of our neighboring countries, such as China. This transformation combining more western ideas and technology into Japanese society, but keeping our heritage and traditions has shown the "political skill" of our government. Sending people from Japan to Europe and America to observe the ways of their government and society has been very beneficial to us. During this quick transition into a more advanced age, we have advanced in military, we have created a much higher form of education, and we have greatly increased our respect around the world. The government has done a good job in noticing and fixing the problem which had recently faced Japan in the mid 19th century.

By creating the Charter Oath of 1868, our leaders have set goals for themselves and our society. One great statement in the Charter Oath was, "A deliberative body shall be instituted so that the views of the people may be discussed openly." (1) Our leaders have realized that we need a more open society with different opinions and views. This was the right step in in the right direction toward a government which would listen to the people and hopefully be elected by the people. (2)

With these changes, came the improvement in our education system. The education policy in Japan has changed and improved dramatically. The Meiji leaders have created a national educational system which has been growing increasingly stronger by the year. We have almost accomplished the goal of everyone attending the free public schools for at least six years. Our population is becoming more literate, and the feudal class system is diminishing to no longer segregate. It is helpful to the Japanese society for the government to behind education.

The whole nation of Japan was affected greatly by this change; all parts of the Japanese hierarchy were affected. In 1876, samurai's were no longer allowed to carry their samurai swords. This was a symbol of their class dying down and evolving into another, more political class. The hierarchy of the old Japanese system rapidly deteriorated. The samurai class turned into bureaucrats. Peasants were drafted into the Japanese military as part of Japan's policy of a strong military. With this vigorous economy, universities were founded, telegraphs were being built, railroads were forming all over the country. Also other forms of communication were formed such as the postal system. The great nation of Japan now had import and export with the rest of the world, and it became more involved with the outside world. They used the ideas of the west and adapted them to their culture and society.

(1) "Charter Oath." in "Japan: The Emperor's Charter Oath, 1868" [ http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~jobrien/reference/ob65.html]

(2) Marisu Jansen, The Making of Modern Japan (Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2000), 334-335

Images

(3) "Emporer Meiji" [http://www.ox.compsoc.net/~gemini/simons/historyweb/meiji-emperor.html]

(4) "Living quarters during the Meiji time period" in "Meiji Restoration" [http://www.ox.compsoc.net/~gemini/simons/historyweb/meiji-resto.html]