In Japan is enthroned on Wednesday a new Emperor. The far-Eastern country has understood how to combine their own traditions and Western influences successfully.
The Country Hit of the 2016 deceased American songwriter Buck Owens still works today as a catchy tune. “Made in Japan” from the year 1972, a total of 13 weeks in the US Charts. Western film productions devoted to the Land of the rising sun, a choice: “Yakuza” with Robert Mitchum (1974) “Wasabi – A-COP in Japan” (2001) with Jean Reno, the triple Oscar-winning Film “memoirs of a Geisha” (2005) and “Tokyo Drift” (2013) from the series “Fast & Furious”.
First Chinese, and later Prussian
The Japanese Meiji Emperor Mutsuhito (1867-1912)
Japan has fascinated the West. The East Asian country with nearly 130 million inhabitants on 7000 Islands in comparison to its neighbor China, a relatively young civilization. Only from the 5. Century, Japan took over the Chinese characters. On the island state had previously given no Scripture.
Between the 7. and 9. Century sent Japan a total of 19 delegations to the Chinese court of the Tang dynasty. From there, they brought back Knowledge of state and city planning, and Buddhism.
However, in the recent history of Japan had proven that the island state may also go its own way. With the renovations, the Emperor Mutsuhito opened from 1868, was created a new political System based on Western models. The Shogunate, the rule by nobles generals, was put to an end.
Japan’s society was on a completely new course authorization, the rule of law (The Prussian Constitution 1848/1850 as a model), freedom of religion (repeal of the prohibition of Christianity in 1872), as well as a large-scale education campaign, also for girls:.
This time became known as the “Meiji restoration” in the history of the world. Meiji is the name of the Era of Emperor Mutsuhito, the Era of the “wise rule”. For the everyday life of the Japanese the comprehensive Reform means a comprehensive Opening-up of the company, the co-existence of bread and rice, beer and Sake, a dress and a Kimono.
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Japan ladies and gentlemen of the war criminalsTojo Hideki
Tojo Hideki, Prime Minister of Japan (1941-1944) and commander-in-chief of the Japanese army. He was made for the murder of at least four million Chinese, and biological experiments on prisoners of war responsible. After the surrender in 1945, he tried to kill himself with a pistol. However, he survived. He confessed to the deeds, and was hanged in December 1948.
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Japan ladies and gentlemen of the war criminalsDoihara Kenji
The China-connoisseur began his career in 1912 as a secret agent in Beijing. Doihara, who spoke fluent Amtschinesisch and some other dialects, founded in 1932, with the last Emperor of China, Puyi, the “Emperor’s Empire” in Manchuria, a puppet regime under Japanese control. In 1940, he supported the attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1948, he was hanged.
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Japan ladies and gentlemen of the war criminalsMatsui Ivane
Matsui was made for the Nanjing massacre in 1937 is responsible, within a week 300,000 people were killed. Historians believe today that the decision was made for the carnage in the Emperor’s house. The Emperor, however, was never indicted. DasTribunal condemned Mutsui to the war criminals of the class B. He was executed in 1948.
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Japan ladies and gentlemen of the war criminalsHeitaro Kimura
In Eastern China Heitaro introduced in 1939, a brutal war against the armed forces of the Communist party of China. He established concentration camps, where thousands died. In 1944, he came to Burma and commander-in-Chief was there. To build the 415 km long railway between Thailand and Burma, Heitaro prisoners of war. Almost 13,000 allied died. In 1948, he was hanged.
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Japan ladies and gentlemen of the war criminalsHirota Koki (2. v. l.)
By February of 1937, Hirota Koki, Prime Minister of Japan, was later foreign Minister. He was accused, because he had tolerated the Nanjing massacre. Hirota was the only civilian politician, was hanged in 1948.
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Japan ladies and gentlemen of the war criminalsItagaki Seishiro
18. September 1931, staged Itagaki a bomb attack on the railway line in the North-Eastern Region of Manchuria. This event used Japan as a pretext to wage war against China. Later, Itagaki wars in North Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia, until he surrendered in 1945 in Singapore. He was made for the escalation of the war is responsible, and in 1948, hanged.
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Japan ladies and gentlemen of the war criminalsMuto Akira
After the outbreak of the war, Muto fought in China and has been blamed for many atrocities, including the massacre in Nanjing. In the opinion of the Tribunal Muto had tortured”, killed and prisoners of war to starve to death”.
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Japan ladies and gentlemen of the war criminalsMatsuoka Yosuke
Under his leadership, Japan left the League of Nations, as some member States viewed Japan as the trigger for the war against China. As foreign Minister (1940-1941) Matsuoka signed the tripartite Pact with Nazi Germany and fascist Italy. Matsuoka died in 1946 of tuberculosis before he could be sentenced.
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Japan ladies and gentlemen of the war criminalsOsami Nagano
As the commander of the Navy Osami supported the attack on the US military base on Pearl Harbor and ordered the 1941 attack. Twelve American war ships sank or were severely damaged, more than 2400 US soldiers were killed. He died in 1946 of pneumonia, before a charge could be levied in the Tokyo process.
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Japan ladies and gentlemen of the war criminalsToshio Shiratori
He was the head of the Japanese Propaganda. Toshio was Ambassador to Italy and a Japan castle with Nazi Germany and fascist Italy into an Alliance. As an Advisor to the foreign Minister, he spread his fascist ideas “on stage” and “behind the Scenes”. Toshio was sentenced to life imprisonment and died in 1949 in jail.
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Japan ladies and gentlemen of the war criminalsKiichiro Hiranuma
Kiichiro, Prime Minister of Japan between January and August 1939. During this time, Japan strengthened its relations with Germany and Italy. Later, Kiichiro was regarded as the closest adviser to the Emperor Hirohito. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, came out in 1952 and died in the same year.
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Japan ladies and gentlemen of the war criminalsKuniaki Koiso
Kuniaki in Japan was Prime Minister from July 1944 to April 1945, and served in China and North Korea. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, although he was not involved in the view of the Tribunal directly to the atrocities of the military, but “the possibility had to be done to prevent this”. Kuniaki died in 1950 during the arrest of cancer.
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Japan ladies and gentlemen of the war criminalsUmezu Yoshijiro (2. v. l. in the first row)
Umezu 1939 to 1945, the Supreme command was commander-in-chief of the up to 700,000 man strong Guandong army, with headquarters in the North-East of China. Shortly before the end of the war, he was against the surrender, but was by the Emperor, the condition must surrender on 02. September 1945 to sign. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and died 1949 in prison of cancer.
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Japan ladies and gentlemen of the war criminalsShigenori Togo
Shigenori is a Germany was a connoisseur. He spoke German, studied German literature, married a German, and in 1937, Japan’s Ambassador in Berlin was. 1941 and 1945, he was appointed twice Minister of foreign Affairs. He advised Japan during his second term, to surrender, and took over political responsibility for the war. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. In 1950, he died during detention.
War and post-war boom
Modernization and economic growth, the policy of Expansion and colonization in the Asia-Pacific region, which culminated in the Second world war in the Pacific followed. The Imperial army committed atrocities and war crimes in almost all East and Southeast Asian countries until the surrender in September 1945 as a result of both U.S. atomic bombings on Japan.
But Japan quickly recovered from the defeat. With the plan of economic stimulus programs was established by the mid-1950s the heavy industry. Later, the liberalism prevailed, and brought Japan the economic miracle and post-war boom.
Japan Self-Defense Forces
Today, Japan is the third largest economy in the world, after the USA and China and ahead of Germany, and a high-tech Nation. Almost in every household of the Japanese budget is and game electronics. Also future issues such as E-mobility, Artificial intelligence and ageing society to grab Japanese companies for a long time. 18 years ago, Toyota introduced the first hybrid vehicle from series production in the automotive stronghold, Germany. Through the use of industrial robots in connection with IT, the Initiative “Robot Revolution”.
After the economic rise of Japan wants to step out of the shadows of the Second world war. The postwar Constitution, created by the allies, specifies in article 9, Japan renounced the maintenance of an army and warfare. The military of Japan can only be described as a self-defense force.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to solve Japan from these restrictions. His nationalist policy was criticised by all the neighboring countries, because in their eyes, Japan’s past during the Second world war is not yet sufficiently worked up. Conflict also offer a variety of territorial disputes with China, South Korea and Russia.
Manga as an export hit
A unifying and Unusual
The modern Japan offers high-tech, two more export: Sushi for the palate as well as Manga and Anime for the eyes. Japanese Comics and animated films to conquer the world. In addition to Playstation you are the most important export product of Nippon, as the Japanese refer to their country itself.
Sporty Japan and Germany have a lot in common. Japan has the best national football teams in Asia, both men and women. Also winter sports is very popular in Japan.
Bow in Japanese
By the way, if we woke up with this portrait of your interest in Japan and want to visit the Land of time: The Bow is a high art. The rule of thumb: the deeper, the better. The most polite and most respectful way is the 45 – degree flexion, you can Express gratitude, regret or apology.
And who wants to drive a car, you have to be careful. The Japanese drive like the British on the left-hand side of the road. Probably because British engineers have built in the Meiji period the rail network in Japan. But no one really knows why.