JAPAN
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JAPAN
lowed almost immediately by that of Emperor Komei
(13 Feb., 1S67) . Hitotsubashi succeeded lemochi, and
took the name of Keiki. He was the fifteenth and last
Tokugawa shogun. Dismayed by the task which con-
fronted him, Keiki gave in his resignation, 15 October,
1S67, and the shogunate was suppressed 8 January,
186S. The partisans of the shogun revolted and wished
to restore his authority, but their troops were con-
stantly defeat eii by those of the imperial army. After a
brilliant defence Enomoto capitulated at Hakodate,
27 July, IsiiO. This was the end of the civil war.
The imperial restoration was an accomplished fact.
Imperial Restoration . — On his accession to the throne the emperor transferred the seat of his government to Yedo, which received the name of Tokio (capital of the East) and became tlie capital of the empire. The whole governmental system was completely changed. Even as formerly t he Japanese had copied China , so no w they set themselves to imitate Europe. Foreign spe- cialists, engineers, soldiers, seamen, profe.ssors, priests, business men, bank- ers, etc., were sum- moned, and thanks to their co-opera- tion all branches of service received an organization similar to that established among European nations. The chief events of this pe- riod may be summed up as follows: 1868, abolition of the shogunate and res- toration of the im- perial a u t h o r i t y ; 1869, Yedo becomes the capital of the em- pire under the name of Tokio; end of the resistance of the par- tisans of the shogun; 1S71, abolition of the fiefs of the daimio and division of Japan into depart ments ; 1872, law establishing conscription; first national ex- position at Tokio; 1873, adoption of the Gregorian calendar; abolition of the edicts of persecution against Christianity; creation of primary schools; 1874, insur- rection of Saga; Formosa expedition; 1875, Japan cedes to Russia its rights over the Lsland of Sakhalin (Karafuto) in exchange for the Kurile or Kourile Islands (Chishima); 1876, treaty with Corea; Samurai forbidden to carry two swords; riots of Kumamoto (Higo) and at Hagi (Nagato); 1877, insurrection of Satsuma; Japan's entrance into the Universal Postal Union; 1S79, annexation of the Riu-kiu Islands; ad- hesion of Japan to International Telegraphic Union; 1880, creation of provincial assemblies; LSSl, jiromise of a constitution for 1S90; organization of political parties; 1883, first tramways; creation of an official journal (Kwampo); 1884, creation of the five titles of nobility, viz. Ko, Ko, Haku, Shi, Dan (duke, marquess, count, vLscount, baron); 1885, establishment of the council of ministers {Xaiknku) ; foundation of the nav- igation company, Yusen Kwaisha; Treaty of Tien-tsin with China; 1888, creation of privy council {sumit- suin); 1899, promulgation of the Constitution; pro- hibition of duelling; 1890, first session of Parliament; foundation of an academy {Tokio Gakushikwai-in) ; 1891, plot of Tsuda Sanzo against the Czarevitch Nicholas III; 1894, war with China; 1895, Treaty of Shimonoseki, 18 April, ratified at Che-fu, 8May; inter- vention of Ru.ssia, France, and (iermany; withdrawal from Liao-tung peninsula; China cedes Formosa and
the Pescadores, pays an indemnity of 200,000,000
taels, and opens several ports to Japanese commerce;
1896, civil and commercial codes put into operation;
1897, adoption of the gold standard; 1S99, treaties concluded with the Powers carried into effect; sup- pression of the consular jurisdiction; liberty granted to foreigners to traverse and settle in the country, but the right of possessing private estates was denied them; 1900, promulgation of the law concerning co- operative societies; co-operation of Japan in the sup- pression of the Boxers; 1902, treatv of alliance with England (12 August); 1904, war with Russia (8 Feb.); 1905, new treaty of alliance with England (12 August); Peace of Portsmouth; trouble at Tokio on this occa- sion, burning of police-stations and of ten Christian churches ; by the Treaty of Portsmouth Russia ceded to Japan the southern part of the Sakhalin and the ad- jacent islands, the lease of Port Arthur, Talien Wan and the adjacent territory, anil the railroad between Chang-chun and Port Arthur, with all its branches.
It recognized at the same time by antici- pation the protec- torate of Japan over Corea; treaty with China; 1907, agree- ment with France (June) ; deposition of the King of Corea (8 July); Corea placed under the [irotection of Japan ; a president general sent by the Japanese (iovernment admin- isters the affairs of the country; agree- ment with Russia (30 July); trouble with the United States; 1908, United States squadron visits Japan.
Literature and Arts. — Literature. — Archaic Period, previous to A. d. 700. — The only work composed during this period is the " Kyujiki " (Annals of Antiquity), which has been lost.
Nara Period (710-784). — The chief works which ap- peared during this period are: the "Kojiki" (712), record of ancient matters; " Nihonki " (Chronicles of Japan), stories and legends of the early times; "Manyoshu" (collection of a myriad leaves), a collection of ancient poems, composed about 750; it contains more than 4000 pieces, the greater number being tanka (poems of 31 syllables); held in great esteem by connoisseurs, it constitutes at present a valuable source of philological, historical, and archseo- logical information.
Classic Period (Hei-an, 800-1186). — This period is the golden age of Japanese literature. A remarkable fact is that the two greatest works were written by women; they were "Genji monogatari", composed in the tenth century by Murasaki Shikibu, maid of hon- our at the court, and "Makura No Soshi " (Tales of a \igil), a classical work in twelve volumes, composed by Sei Shonagon, a lady of the imperial court. After these two works the most celebrated are "Kokinshu" (a collection of ancient and modern poems); "Tosanikki", an account of a journey; "Ta- ketori monogatari", tales of a bamboo-gatherer; "Ise monogatari ", Story of Ise. The period of Hei-an wit- nessed important progress in the art of writing, the invention of phonetic writing called kana, and the alphabet as it is at present, in forty-eight syllables.
