Staicu Felix, Eksamens nr.

: 405113
Japan as a regional hegemon in East Asia before and through World War II
Introduction
This paper investigates the reasons that sit behind the quest of power of Japan in the 20th. This
paper will be focused on the rise of Japan, political, military and also economically to prove that
Japan was a hegemonic state, with hegemonic principles, its major purpose being to gain
security, military and economical advantages, as well on the actions that led to the fall of it. Also
this paper would analyze the lack of proper response of the Western Powers, as well of the
League of Nations, the concept of collective security failed this time, paving a road without big
obstacles for Japan rise in South East Asia. In the beginning the concept of hegemony will be
explained, and its roots will be revealed. The first part of the paper is focused on the reasons that
led Japan into a revisionist state, as well the big rise of its manufacturing and military
production, that created the prerequisites for becoming a hegemon. The second part of the paper
is analyzing the territorial gains of Japan after WW I, gains that turned them into a real threat for
global security. The final part is focused on the WW II actions of Japan that led the Western
Powers to impose sanctions on them, leaving no other options for Japan to escape the economical
cage, that could crash them, but to attack strategic points of the Allies, actions that in the end led
to the unconditionall surrender of Japan.
The concept of hegemony
Hegemony is a concept that imply the use of power. This concept comes from Ancient Greece
(egemonia), where the term hegemony was used to describe the political and military power of a
city-state over another city-state. For example, in the 5th century BCE, Sparta was the hegemon
of the Peloponnesian League. In The New Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought, hegemony
was defined as Political and economical control exercised by a dominant class, and its success
in projecting its own way of seeing the world, human and social relationships as common sense
and part of the natural order by those who are, in fact, subordinated to it.1
The rise and fall
1

Allan Bullock, Stephen Trombley, Oliver Strallybrass, The New Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought, 1999, p.
387-388

Due to its location, being an island, Japan was not in the best strategic spot, being geographically
isolated. Also Japanese lack natural resources and customary prerequisites for economic
development. So for the rise of Japan there was a need to act for gain, if Japan wanted to increase
their status. Japan started modernizing in all ways, from economic, education and military
industry. In 1894 Japan had a very successful campaign against China and Korea, but Western
powers intervene forcing Japan to withdraw its claims to Port Arthur and Liaodong Peninsula. In
the 20th century Japan became a significant element in the diplomatic calculus of the age, after
the defeat of Russia in 1905, its iron and steel industry raising from 0.02 millions of tons in
1890, to 7 millions in 1938 before the burst of WW2 2 and its naval forces grew 4 times larger in
a short period of time from 1880-1914, from 71k to over 300k.3 So Japan was growing fast, with
the purpose of gaining security in the first place, in the second place gaining territories and
resources in mainland Asia to ensure them stability without threat of isolation. . Japan began
spending on military more that any democracy. At one point before the burst of WW I 28.2 % of
the national income was spent on military. Also before WW II Japan Defense budget was 1.74
billions of dollars, being surpassed only by Germany, USSR, and slightly by the UK, budget that
proves the intentions of them.4 Japanese invested in quality arms, navy and technology. For this
purposes Japan became a regional hegemon for almost 40 years, snarling to any state which
tried to stop them, challenging the status-quo in Asia.
Japan quest for economic security drove it forward but with mixed results. Military pressure for
the creation of a nearby land empire in China, would shorten the Japanese communication lines
and make them less vulnerable. In the beginning of the 20th century the new order in Asia began
to shape differently, Japan emerging as a great power, having no real adversaries. The rest of
Asia could not balance the power back, because the states were weakened after Western
colonialization and were left with no real defense forces. External support was needed, but was
hard to get in the lights of the events the Japan defeated Russia in 1905, proving again its
capabilities.5 No one could do anything significant in the Far East without considering its
response. As Paul Kennedy stated, Assuming a steady Japanese growth in East Asia it would

Paul Kennedy, Rise and fall of great powers, p. 200

Ibid., p. 204
4
Ibid., p. 296
5
th
Best, Hanhimaki, Maiolo, Schulze, International History of the 20 century and beyond, p. 58
3

be by the most extreme endeavors that any other state could prevent Japan from becoming the
predominant power there in course of time.6
WW I was for Japan a gold mine. The western powers retreated from Asia leaving a empty space
for Japan to fill. Their industry grow spectaculous, also their exports, leading to a strong and
modernized economy. A further expansion by Japan into Asia was expected. Japan gained many
political and economical advantages from WW I, along with USA, while the other powers
suffered a big loss for the economy also in the army. Japan was rising fast, and for the other
Great Powers this became a problem. Japan benefited of freedom of actions in foreign affairs,
freedom which was not held by the others,7 not being bound by treaties that would restrict its
expansion.
The end of the 20s brought in the world a serious economic crisis, which forced the great
powers to retreat from Asia and focus on the survival of their own economies. That led to a more
destabilized Asia in which only Japan was a power, the other countries being very weak,
especially China which was divided into Nationalists and Communists. Japan adopted a Monroe
Doctrine in East Asia wishing to hold the supreme influence in the area, without western
interference. In 1931 Japan invaded Manchuria, a Chinese territory, occupying it in less than 6
months, having no real opponents. Manchuria was a very strategic point for the Japan, being rich
in coal and iron resources. Manchuria could lead to autarky in Japan, thing needed the most, if
they wanted to defeat their major adversaries: United States and USSR.8 The League of Nations
had no effective means for preventing Japanese aggression in Manchuria. League of Nations was
shown to be an ineffective instrument for preventing aggressions, and the three Western
democracies were incapable of united action against Japan.9 The concept of collective security
proved its incapability. Invading the Chinese territory as well, the big increase in the defense
budget and capabilities proves that Japan worked in their own interest, which is a clear sign of
hegemony.
USA became more cautious about Japan, after the bombing of USS Panay in China in 1937, but
stood still, waiting for the right moment to act. USA was very interested in trade in South-East
6

Kennedy Paul, p. 208

Ibid., p. 303
8
th
Best, Hanhimaki, Maiolo, Schulze, International History of the 20 century and beyond, p. 66-67
9
Ibid., p. 333
7

Asia region, and seeing Japan rise was a matter of concern for Roosevelt. He feared that Japan
rise would interact with the right of other countries in East Asia to trade freely with USA, in
particular Chinas market which was a precious asset for the Americans.10 After the burst of the
WW II Japan allied with Germany and Italy through the Tripartite Act in 1940. In 1941 Japan
attacked Siberia, but this attack left Japanese troops with severe casualties. This led to a
neutrality treaty signed by Japan and USSR.11
In July 1941 West powers imposed on Japan an embargo on trade and freeze its assets, after the
seizure of the French Indochina. Japan depended entirely on maritime communication.12 This
made the Japanese aware that unless they gave in to American political demands or attempted to
seize to oil and raw material supplies of South-East Asia, they would be economically ruined
within months. 13 So a northern war was not possible with USSR, but a southern war was
necessary. The problem for the Japanese was that USA and Great Britain had their naval bases
nearby in Pacific and they needed to be eliminated in order to ensure a continuous supply of oil
and other necessary goods. Japan attacked Pearl Harbour on 7 December 1941, making the war
world-wide, starting the so called Pacific War. Within 6 months Japan had invaded all of S-E
Asia, threatening to invade India, from Burma, and even Australia. On 3 February 1945 the
Soviet Union agreed with Roosevelt to enter the Pacific conflict. It promised to act 90 days after
the war ended in Europe and did so exactly on schedule on 9 August by invading Manchuria. A
battle-hardened, one million Soviet force, transferred from Europe attacked Japanese forces
in Manchuria and quickly defeated the Japanese Army. On 6 August 1945, the U.S. B-29 Enola
Gay dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, in the first nuclear
attack in combat in history. On 9 August, another was dropped on Nagasaki. More than 140,000240,000 people died as a direct result of these two bombings. The effects of these were profound.
Soviet invasion and atomic bombs lead to a unconditional surrender from Japan. On 15 August
the peace was signed, ending the Pacific war, leaving Japan in the hands of the US leadership.14

10

th

Best, Hanhimaki, Maiolo, Schulze, International History of the 20 century and beyond, p. 59-60
Ibid., p. 342
12
Eric Hobsbawn, Age of Extremes, p. 39
13
Ibid., p. 343
14
Pacific war, accessed on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_War , on 28/10/2014
11