Economic challenges

• Landlord-tenant disputes


  • As Japan’s economy prospered from Meiji Restoration and the WWI, the standard of living has improved significantly, However, it did not benefit everyone equally
  • E.g. Farmers did not have sufficient land due to population growth and most did not have access to better tools and cultivation techniques, so tenant farmers struggled to survive
• Inflation


  • To strengthen Japan’s economy, government continued to support the wealthy Zaibatsu.
  • The wealthy did not have to work on farms but instead lived on tenant farmers’ rent
  • Prospering economy brings about inflation, which meant that peasants suffered since wealth was not equally distributed
  • E.g. 1918 Rice Riots : Sudden increase in prices of commodities (staples such as rice), which caused unhappiness that led to uprisings
• 1927 Banking Crisis


  • Japan had many small banks that borrowed money to companies in same industries, making them vulnerable
  • After WWI, Japan’s economy deteriorated due to foreign countries’ post-war recovery efforts & industries did not perform well
  • Loans that the banks issued out were to unstable companies. By 1927, banks did not have enough money due to bad debts, causing widespread panic
  • People tried to withdraw their deposits, leading to the collapse of many banks, widespread suffering for those that lost their savings
  • Increased public resentment towards the civilian government
• Changing role of Women


  • During the 1920s, many young women found jobs in cafes and restaurants in the cities.
  • Others worked in Japan’s expanding silk mills and factories.
  • Conditions were hard but wages were reasonable.
  • Some became more active in politics
  • Many women found greater independence
• The Great Depression & Unemployment


  Impact on Farmers:

  • People around the world were poorer

  • Japan’s exports fell (demand for farmers’ produce dropped)

  • Income of farmers fell by an average of 43% between 1929 and 1931

  • Tension increases between tenant farmers and landowners
• The Great Depression & Unemployment


  Impact on small business owners

  • Small businesses struggled to attract customers due to a poorer consumers

  • 1930, twice as many closures of small businesses as in an average year

  • Small businesses joined protest movements such as that led by the Imperial

  Middle Class Federated Alliance (aim: protect small businesses)
• The Great Depression & Unemployment


  Unemployment :

  • 15-20% of Japan’s workforce lost their jobs between 1930 and 1932

  • Workers were only entitled to 14 days’ pay when dismissed

  • Workers protested and with violence

  Fear of Communism :

  • Increasing unemployment = poorer workers = increased in attraction of communism

  • The Government feared the threat of communism posed by the USSR

  Growing distrust in the Government :

  • Japanese believed that the government only cared about the elites

  • Strong feelings of distrust (towards the civilian government) among the Japanese
• Economic challenges Japan faced

  • The mismanagement of Japan’s economy and the downfall of Japan’s economy have caused many Japanese to suffer
  • The pain and hardships that they experienced deepens the hatred they have for the civilian politicians as they put the blame on them
  • Many Japanese thus look to the military for more radical and aggressive actions in hope to restore economic prosperity in Japan, contributing to the rise of Militarism in Japan