Japan and East Asia Post WWII

Westernization: Japan underwent westernization, differing from the Beijing period.
Allied Program: Post-World War II, the Americans did not leave Japan but occupied it for five years under military rule by Douglas MacArthur.

Demilitarization: MacArthur demilitarized Japan, eliminating the army and navy, allowing only a small number of soldiers.
Pacifist Japan: Japan remains pacifist to this day.

1947 Constitution: The Meiji Constitution was replaced by an American-drafted constitution in 1947.
Peace Commitment: The new constitution committed Japan to peace, prohibiting an aggressive military.

Emperor's Status: The emperor remained but had to renounce his divinity.
Radio Address: The emperor went on the radio to tell the Japanese people he was not divine and should not be worshiped.
Mandate of Heaven: The emperor had been viewed as divine, similar to the mandate of heaven concept.

Formal Codification: Demilitarization was formally codified in the 1947 constitution.

Parliamentary Government: The U.S. gave Japan a parliamentary government. (e.g., prime minister)
Independent Judiciary: An independent judiciary was established, free from political influence.

Breaking Up Zaibatsu: Initially, the Americans wanted to break up the zaibatsu (family firms) to distribute power.
Land Reform: Land reform involved giving land to peasants.
Cold War Impact: The Cold War complicated these plans.

Independence: Japan became independent in 1951 but was forced to ally with the United States.
Strategic Ally: The U.S. wanted Japan as a partner in the Pacific, near Russia and China.
Military Presence: The U.S. maintained a military presence in Japan.

One-Party Dominance: One party dominated Japanese politics until the 1990s.
Shinzo Abe: Shinzo Abe was assassinated on July 8, 2022, by a man resentful of Abe's connections to a religious cult that had bankrupted his family.

Economic Recovery: The Japanese economy recovered from devastation to become one of the largest industrial economies.
Reconstructed Zaibatsu: The zaibatsu were reconstructed because the U.S. needed a strong ally in the Pacific.
American Control: The U.S. felt it could control Japan with the new constitution and lack of militarism.

Government Support: The Japanese government actively supported the economy, setting prices and subsidizing businesses.
State Intervention: The state compensated businesses to sell products at a loss to break into markets.

Taiwan: Nationalists fled to Taiwan after losing the civil war in China, preserving traditional Chinese values.
Economic Growth: Taiwan experienced economic growth, but questions remain about its long-term independence.
Singapore and Hong Kong: Former colonies that thrived through industrial growth, sometimes with authoritarianism.
Singapore: Offers a trade-off between liberal rights and security; it is very safe but not entirely free.
Hong Kong: Was a British colony; now under pressure from China, it's densely populated with expensive capsules.
Australia and New Zealand: Drawing closer to Asia.

Three Factors: Culture (thrift, obedience, duty), state-supported economic growth, and Western assistance and investment.

Westernization: Japan is westernized but not totally so.
Low Fertility Rate Fertility rates are low in Korea and Japan, approximately less than 1.