The world situation surrounding Japan in the early Meiji era had entered an imperialist era in which colonization was being pursued.
Under these circumstances, the Meiji government will implement a high-pressure foreign policy toward Asian countries in the same way as Western countries.
North-South border confirmed
The government hastened to establish borders in order to be internationally recognized as a sovereign state.
First, the government took the policy of making the Ryukyu Kingdom Japanese territory, and although it was after the abolition of the feudal clan, the Ryukyu clan was established in 1872 . To do.
This Ryukyu Kingdom Developed as a trading nation in Southeast Asia. Throughout the Edo period, ostensibly Qing dynasty is the suzerain However, in reality, it belongs to the Satsuma Domain . I had a complicated system.
Although the policy was to make it Japanese territory, the attribution was ambiguous with Qing, but the case where a Ryukyu fisherman was murdered in Taiwan In the wake of the government dispatched troops to Taiwan in 1874 To do.
I made the Qing dynasty admit that this dispatch was Japan's justice against the harm to the Ryukyu people who are their own people.
Contrary to such Japanese behavior, Sho Tai of the Ryukyu Domain Continued to make tribute to the Qing dynasty. The government responded to Sho Tai's attitude in 1879 . Dispatched troops and police to Ryukyu, unilaterally decided the attribution problem, abolished the Ryukyu clan and established Okinawa Prefecture [ Ryukyu Disposition 】to hold.
In 1876, the Ogasawara Islands, whose affiliation was not clear, were placed under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior.
On the other hand, negotiations on the northern border with Russia, which had been a concern since the end of the Edo period, remained. 1854 Treaty of Shimoda By Kuril Islands Boundary Is set, Sakhalin is the land of both countries However, I decided to abandon it because Japan couldn't afford to manage Sakhalin. On the contrary, Russia sent a lot of people and money to use it as a foothold for the southward policy and embarked on the management of Sakhalin.
Against this background, 1875 In addition, Sakhalin-Kuril Islands Exchange Treaty Was tied to Russia, handed over Sakhalin to Russia, and instead occupied the entire Kuril Islands, and devoted all its efforts to the development of Hokkaido.
Japan's overseas expansion and Seikanron
How did you create relationships with the countries of the eastern continent as the north-south border was established?
The border with the Qing dynasty was not officially arranged throughout the Edo period.
Therefore, as the trade with the Qing dynasty grows after the opening of the country, its harmful effects will occur.
So the government 1870 In the negotiations to conclude a treaty with the Qing dynasty, the following year Sino-Japanese Friendship and Regulations To conclude. At that time, Japan's first equal treaty was suffering from an unequal treaty with Western countries. was. However, from the perspective of Japan, they are dissatisfied domestically because they wanted to conclude an unequal treaty in their favor . Say there was.
On the other hand, the relationship with Korea has not been exchanged since 1811.
Therefore, the government 1868 Offers to Korea to conclude a treaty, but refuses to do so. Domestically, Korea should be opened by force and Seikanron Will increase.
Seikanron As a result, the dispatch to Korea was avoided. But 1875 , [ Ganghwa Island Incident ] of the Korean army bombarding while a Japanese warship is surveying the Korean coast ] Will occur. The main cause of this bombardment was the provocation of the Japanese side, but the government unilaterally forced the conclusion of a treaty, and the Japan-Korea Friendship Treaty To conclude.
The contents of the treaty are opening Busan, etc., exemption from tariffs, and only Japan obtains extraterritoriality Advantageous to the Japanese side Unequal Treaty have become. This unequal treaty has given Japan a further foothold in the invasion of the continent.