3 ms·

My comment was about Perry, who used violent threats to open trade with Japan, still being celebrated in Japan.

Tor3 4y ago
There was indeed a bit of (at least apparent) threat involved. No colonialism or imperialism though - Japan has never been a colony of anyone as long as Japan as a nation has existed (which is, officially, since around 660BC [0] [0] https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/japans-national-foundation-day https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/japans-nat... (which should probably be taken as seriously (or not) as the foundation of Rome in 753 BC)
- TulliusCicero 4y ago
  There was the occupation post-WW2, which is somewhat similar, if much more understandable than typical colonization/imperialism.
- user982 4y ago
  You have to define imperialism very narrowly to claim that. Perry's (overt) threat resulted in unequal treaties being forced on Japan. Japan's current Constitution was similarly written by Americans and forced on it during the post-WWII military occupation. Any nation that permanently hosts uncontrolled foreign troops and bases on its homeland is, at the very best, a client state.
  - DenisM 4y ago
    Perhaps we should make a distinction between colonial imperialism and modern imperialism. The latter mostly concerns itself with trade treaties, however lopsided, whereas the former also involved a lot more meddling in the culture, the power structure, and the internal structure of the economy.
  - aikinai 4y ago
    US bases in Japan have the opposite impact of colonialism. If it weren’t for the bases, Japan would have to pay for their own defense, using up finances and resources that can be allocated to growth and wealth in the current system. The current arrangement isn’t imposing on or extracting anything from Japan, just protecting it, mostly for free. Not that I’m saying this is unfair to America either; it’s mutually beneficial for both nations, which is why everyone has kept this happy arrangement for so long.

Tor3 4y ago

There was indeed a bit of (at least apparent) threat involved. No colonialism or imperialism though - Japan has never been a colony of anyone as long as Japan as a nation has existed (which is, officially, since around 660BC [0] [0] https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/japans-national-foundation-day https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/japans-nat... (which should probably be taken as seriously (or not) as the foundation of Rome in 753 BC)

TulliusCicero 4y ago
There was the occupation post-WW2, which is somewhat similar, if much more understandable than typical colonization/imperialism.
user982 4y ago
You have to define imperialism very narrowly to claim that. Perry's (overt) threat resulted in unequal treaties being forced on Japan. Japan's current Constitution was similarly written by Americans and forced on it during the post-WWII military occupation. Any nation that permanently hosts uncontrolled foreign troops and bases on its homeland is, at the very best, a client state.
- DenisM 4y ago
  Perhaps we should make a distinction between colonial imperialism and modern imperialism. The latter mostly concerns itself with trade treaties, however lopsided, whereas the former also involved a lot more meddling in the culture, the power structure, and the internal structure of the economy.
- aikinai 4y ago
  US bases in Japan have the opposite impact of colonialism. If it weren’t for the bases, Japan would have to pay for their own defense, using up finances and resources that can be allocated to growth and wealth in the current system. The current arrangement isn’t imposing on or extracting anything from Japan, just protecting it, mostly for free. Not that I’m saying this is unfair to America either; it’s mutually beneficial for both nations, which is why everyone has kept this happy arrangement for so long.