History of Japan II

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive and critically informed understanding of modern Japanese history, positioning the late Edo period as a cultural starting point and tracing Japan’s historical development from the end of the Tokugawa era to the present. Building on an examination of the political, philosophical, and cultural foundations of Tokugawa Japan, the course explores key historical turning points including the Meiji Restoration, modernisation, and World War II. It then examines Japan’s postwar reconstruction and the formation of the country’s distinctive social and business values that endure to the present day. By engaging with literature, art, folklore, and popular culture - including ukiyo-e, manga and anime - students will explore how history has been represented, preserved, and reinterpreted in modern and contemporary Japan. Through lectures, discussions, and student presentations, this course aims to develop students’ historical awareness, critical reading skills, and ability to analyze historical events and cultural texts from multiple perspectives.

This module is taught entirely in English. Prior completion of the related module ’History of Japan I’ is recommended, but not mandatory. ’History of Japan II’ examines modern Japanese history, tracing political, social, and cultural transformations from the late Edo period through the 20th century and into the contemporary era. The course begins by assessing Edo Japan as a cultural foundation for Japanese modernity, with particular attention paid to the Tokugawa system and the role of popular culture such as ukiyo-e. The course then explores Japan’s transition to being a ’modern’ country, looking at factors and events including the Meiji Restoration, foreign influences on Meiji Japan, imperial expansion in the early 20th century, and the tensions between democracy and militarism in the Taisho and early Showa periods. Major historical turning points such as World War II and the atomic bombings are examined in terms of their causes, immediate effects, and long-term consequences. Considering the postwar period, the course focuses on Japan’s reconstruction under U.S. occupation and the emergence of the country’s distinctive social and cultural models, including characteristically Japanese business practices and ideas of harmony and loyalty within companies. Moving into the late 20th century, the course examines manga and anime as key forms of cultural expression and as lenses through which modern Japanese history can be understood. Modalities of the course include lectures, discussions, writing assignments, and student presentations, all designed to encourage students to critically engage with Japan’s modern history and culture from a range of perspectives.

1. Students can explain modern Japanese history from the late Edo period to contemporary Japan, including its key political, social, and cultural transformations.
2. Students can examine the roles of Japanese imperial expansion, conflicts such as the first and second world wars, and the postwar US occupation and economic reconstruction in shaping Japan’s historical trajectory.
3. Students can describe how features of Japan’s internal development in the late 19th and 20th centuries relate to how Japan has been represented and received globally, particularly in terms of Japanese ’corporate culture’ and pop culture.
4. Students can critically analyse course materials and other historical and contemporary documents, and to synthesise information from various sources.
5. Students can present their ideas and opinions clearly and logically, in formats such as group discussions, student presentations, and writing assignments on historical and cultural topics.

In order to pass this course, students need to earn at least 60% of the total course score; attendance alone does not guarantee a passing grade.
The final grade is calculated as follows:
1. Assignments and participation in class-activities: 40%
2. Midterm Examination: 30%
3. Final Examination: 30%
Regular attendance, active participation, timely submission of assignments, and satisfactory performance in both examinations are required to achieve a passing grade.

English

Books recommended:

A Concise History of Japan
Cambridge University Press
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 052117872X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0521178723

Please note that this course is designed for those whose English language proficiency is between CEFR B2 and C2 levels.

• Office hours: Friday between 12:30 and 13:20 in the lecturer’s office ＆ by appointment
• Contact e-mail address: zam08580@shibaura-it.ac.jp

Non-regionally-oriented course

• Course that cultivates an ability for utilizing knowledge

About half of the classes are interactive

• 4.QUALITY EDUCATION
• 10.REDUCED INEQUALITIES
• 16.PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS
• 17.PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS