The first of the unequal treaties, the united states made Japan open it's ports under threat of force, ending it's 220 year seclusion.
Japan opens it's ports to British ships under mistranslation and attempted negotiations by the British to keep japan from siding with Russia in the crimean war. the treaty was plagued by mistranslation and vaguely worded.
Russia's trade agreement with Japan. Though the negotiations were less hostile and the treaty slightly more Balanced, it was still the equal of the Kanagawa model.
The main bulk of the unequal treaties- starting with the Harris treaty in July of 1858 and the last (of the year) being the French/Japanese treaty in October of 1858
The more clearly worded Anglo-Japanese treaty is signed, following the unequal treaty format of more concessions to England then benefits to Japan.
Li Naosuke, Japanese chief minister, is assassinated following the signing of the unequal treaties. The conspirators manifesto was as follows: While fully aware of the necessity for some change in policy since the coming of the Americans at Uraga, it is entirely against the interest of the country and a stain on the national honour to open up commercial relations with foreigners, to admit foreigners into the Castle, to conclude treaties with them, to abolish the established practice of trampling on the picture of Christ, to allow foreigners to build places of worship for the evil religion, and to allow the three Foreign Ministers to reside in the land (...) Therefore, we have consecrated ourselves to be the instruments of Heaven to punish this wicked man, and we have taken on ourselves the duty of ending a serious evil, by killing this atrocious autocrat. — Manifesto of the Sakuradamon conspirators.
In 1863 Emperor Komei broke with the tradition of the Emperor as a spiritual figurehead and spoke out against the foreign presence in Japan. He issued the "Order to Expel Barbarians", an edict calling for foreigners to be thrown out of Japan that resulted in outbreaks of violence both against the shogunate that was actually ruling and not enforcing the emperor's orders and against British and American people and forces stationed in Japan.
A pro-Emperor and anti-foreigner attempted takeover of the shogunate. Though it ultimately failed, it continued to highlight the immense anti-foreigner sentiment amoung the japanese people.
In an attempt to catch up with western powers with the ascendance of Emperor Meiji Japan undergoes a series of reforms including the centralizing of the government, the introduction of universal male suffrage, a more democratic governmental system, compulsory education, compulsory military conscription, and the establishment of a powerful Navy.
Emperor Meiji's reign began a hugely transformative period known as the Meiji restoration, where the emperor's power was restored and Japan truly began to modernize.
Japan adopts the Diet, or a house of representatives elected by vote.
An agreement between the United States and Japan that limited Japanese immigration while moving against segregation orders imposed on Japanese schoolchildren in San Francisco.
Unlike his predecessor, emperor Taisho exercised almost no political power and ultimately his reign marks the real beginning of militarism's takeover.
At the post world war 1 paris peace conference Japan submits a Racial Equality Clause to the league of nations charter, in an attempt to lessen the west's treatment. It is unequivocally rejected.
Following World War 1 the League of Nations was seeking Naval disarmament, and passed regulations limiting the sizes of it's members Naval forces. Britain and America pushed Japan into the lowest size Naval force it would accept.
The Earthquake and resulting Tsunami obliterated Japan's developing economy and sent the country into a spiraling depression, where most of the citizens were starving and desperate for a government that would bring them some relief, and added fuel to criticisms of western "decadence" that had begun to arise as a result of the wealth in the western trading centers of Japan.
From the kanto eathquake to the early 1930s Japan experianced severe economic depression, particularly in it's rural regions. This caused a massive increase in Army membership, as poor rural men enlisted and nationalistic sentiment grew among the poor- as wealth became associated with western decadence.
Known also as emperor Showa after the time period, he remained emperor through World War 2 and is not thought to have played much role in government.
The London Naval treaty was meant to be an extension of the one signed in Washington, and limited the size of Japanese forces in terms of the size of american and British forces- worsening tensions.
The Japanese army fakes a railway bombing by "chinese rebels" and without official approval launches an invasion of Manchuria. The lack of repercussions from the main Japanese government or the Emperor effectively gives the military the approval to act independently.
Japan's military had always been highly factionalized. Both sides were highly imperialistic, and up to 1936 they kept control of the government by assassinations. However, on February 26th the faction that supported the strict following of Japanese culture and the emperor over the total war goals of the other staged a coup after their division was threatened with a transfer to Manchuria. The Coup failed and it's members largely were executed. The total war faction consolidated it's control on the government and the country moved toward war.
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