Why Is Japan So Rich?

Why is Japan so Rich? How did the Land of the Rising Sun become one of the wealthiest countries in the world? This video will start from Japan's isolation to the Meiji Restoration all the way to the Asian Financial Crisis in the 1990s.
Join Patreon: / historyscope
Credits
- Research: Mrs Scope
- Animation: rbbrduck.nl
- Audio: Seb. Soto
- Writing and Voice Over: Avery from History Scope
Social Media
- Discord: / discord
- Twitter: / scopehistory
- Instagram: / officialhistoryscope
- Facebook: / averythingchannel
Sources
R. H. P. Mason, J. G. Caiger (1997) A History of Japan. Tuttle Publishing, Tokyo
C. Totman (2000) A History of Japan. Blackwell Publishing, Malden

[@bartleyhoran9833]

You wouldn't believe you're Dutch with that pour. Absolutely shocking. 12:31

[@atomicmelodies]

LOL

[@sgt290983]

I saw the poor pour, then immediately scrolled the comments.

[@sgt290983]

Perhaps we just got trolled as so we would comment.....

[@monge999]

@@sgt290983 same ahah

[@thexiroy]

I immediately recognize the Dutch accent :)

[@MasayaShida]

Japan was the first country willing to invest and build us a bridge in Cambodia, even as our country had yet to stabilize after fall of communism. They are helping us build sewage systems and other critical infrastructure. They are a great country.

[@luongo7886]

As Asians, we should be allies with Japan, South Korea, Australia, Vietnam, America and the West rather than with china. china will start World War III very soon and it will drag the whole world down to destruction.

[@harvxxp3774]

@@jonaspete then study the history of Cambodia why there is a genocide during the cold war

[@luongo7886]

@@jonaspete Because the Chinese monsters told their Khmer Rouge slaves to do so. Evil china MUST PAY for their crimes against humanity!

[@KeooVAL]

@@jonaspete Bro is asking him like HE is the one who did it lmao

[@headshot21000]

@@KeooVAL right 😂. How many men how many

[@user-vw8it9oo8h]

Behind the success of the Meiji Restoration was the 250-year peaceful Edo period. During this period, small schools called terakoya (寺子屋) were born all over Japan so that children of farmers other than samurai could study. As a result, Japan's literacy rate has reached an astonishing rate. I think that was the foundation for learning overseas technology.

[@HistoryScope]

I don't think I did enough to show this in the video. Looking back at it, I did mention that Japan was highly aware of the outside world but I never mentioned how they understood the outside world (afterall, if you don't understand engineering how are you ever going to understand a steam engine). I should have added 1 or 2 lines about education, you're right.

[@rosemcginnis914]

Tokugawa period is the key to Japanese industrialization, this video is very poorly made and has errors, also is very propagandist anti-West

[@user-bm6us5xu9n]

No. they just can lie very well to the world like Fukushima.

[@user-pm5ef4np7o]

@@rosemcginnis914 If you have an opinion about the video that is great. However, please add why you think that. I saw your comment and was just shocked, and you give no reason for your thought process so I can not understand why you think so.

[@moderatelymodest]

@@HistoryScope ur reply here is what knowledge seekers need….. its much appreciated

[@oys9420]

As a Japanese hardware engineer, I cannot help but mention the US forced the use of foreign semiconductors for Japanese electronics in 1986 to late 90s, which caused a serious impact on the japanese electronic industry. This forced us engineers to use MPUs from Motorola, Intel, and Texas Instruments instead of Hitachi, Sharp, and Toshiba. Our situation was quite bad, so my colleague went to Korea to "help" Samsung, who paid well to the Japanese.

[@TokyoTaisu]

Haha I'm sure Samsung ensured he got "helped" as well in the Gangnam clubs.

[@user-pv9ln2pg2u]

Japan's population is not large enough, the domestic market is not large enough, the Japanese semiconductor industry needs to rely on the U.S. market, which allows the U.S. can hold the market hostage by raising tariffs to coerce the Japanese government. Now the U.S. wants to hit China's semiconductor industry, but China's domestic market is huge, the U.S. is difficult to succeed.

[@theburden9920]

@@user-pv9ln2pg2u china needs semiconductors because china is the largest consumer of semiconductors they are proned more than japan so they have to be independent

[@roar5853]

If one is well paid, we call it a 'work' not 'help'. I think the expression 'help' sounds absurd. America is absorbing global talents by offering high salary now. Even some developing country's big companies hire global talents in the same way. We don't say those workers are 'helping'. Such expression seems based on emotional sentiment and victim mentality about the fact that they left Japan. Japan is the first and still a few democratic country in Asia with freedom. It wasn't such a thing as a humanitarian action or aid. Nor forced labor. They had a good job offer that could support their family. That's it.

[@aaabbb-ff1sp]

It's really funny Japan, a US vassal state by definition, refers to itself as a democracy...😂

[@YuuSHiiiN]

One of the reasons for Japan's economic stagnation that you forgot to mention was the Plaza Accords in the 1980s that the US essentially blackmailed Japan to sign. Japan had a thriving semiconductor industry at the time and there was the potential to overtake the US as the #! economy in the 80s. Obviously, that didn't sit well with US high tech companies, and they basically planted false evidence of Japan supposedly stealing their patents, hence the Plaza Accords was signed and Japan took a HUGE hit towards their high tech manufacturing which never truly recovered.

[@aptmap5181]

An old narrative that did not measure up with facts. The rise and decline and rise again of Japan was in fact due to the decline and rise and decline again of CCP China. The Japan Miracle in 1960's coincided with the Dark Ages (Cultural Revolution) of China. US picks Japan as their Far East manufacturing partner. When Deng opened up the Chinese market for the world they sucked the lives out of their Asian neighbors. Now with Jizz-ping as the CCPee King-for-life he chose to pick fights against the free world and present Japan with the opportunity to rise again as seen by the stock market reaching 30-year high

[@chad_dogedoge]

US always doubt Japan Loyalty , the US instead invest in China which is a traditional enemy

[@jeffreykalb9752]

I think you have never worked in the semiconductor industry, but are making excuses for Japan's failure, which was real. The Plaza accords were in response to charges of dumping, which was certainly going on, not technology theft. But the real reason Japan fell behind in semiconductors is that it failed to transition from low-cost commodities like DRAMs to higher value-added designs, like microprocessors. At the same time, even lower cost competitors from Asia, just as hard working, companies like Samsung, entered the market at the low end. Japan could not get a share of the processor market at the same time its market share in commodities was consumed by the South Koreans. It lost a two front war and afterwards could no longer generate the capital necessary to compete in the ever more expensive fabrication processes. And all this happened while the Japanese real estate bubble collapsed. I recall in 1989 at Cypress Semiconductor, the president declared at a company meeting that if an American company wanted to compete in DRAMs, it would only place third behind South Korea and Japan... in that order.

[@C-3POII45I4]

In fact, Japan was not the only country that signed the Plaza Accord, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, which signed the Plaza Accord. However, Japan was the only country that subsequently fell into Economic stagnation.

[@DD-sr9xm]

What? The Plaza Accord was about unwinding extreme usd strength caused by US interest rates going to 20%. The usd strength created massive dangerous trade deficit in the US and surplus in Japan and Germany. Japan was benefiting from an under-valued yen and running a huge trade surplus. The Plaza Accord was an agreement to rebalance currency values, a weaker usd and a stronger yen, mark and pound. The stronger yen eventually contributed to the Japanese asset bubble. But pre Plaza Accord Japan benefited from a weak yen through exports then post Plaza Accord Japanese benefited with massive asset inflation.

[@helloiamenergyman]

Fun fact: according to my dad who is part of the japanese community here in Brazil, some of the japanese immigrants who visited japan post ww2 thought that japan won the war, because they couldn't believe that a country that had just lost a war could be so prosperous.

[@businessmanbrute2211]

They definitely didn't knew about how much loan japan has in debt.

[@carlrodalegrado4104]

that's what's going to happen if lose against the U.S.A. with a post war economic plan guess what happens if Japan lost to the U.S.S.R. or was slapped a treaty compared to the Treaty of Versailles

[@Grrrrrgfifj]

@@businessmanbrute2211 you deffo don’t know how much they lend

[@Tethloach1]

Persia vs Greeks = respect Greek power Allies vs Turks = respect Turkish power France vs Germany = respect German power USA vs Vietnam = respect Vietnam's power Briton vs USA = American freedom Anti- Communist powers: (stop communism and build empires) Germany - no empire Japan - no empire Italy - no empire Balance of power Team: (keep power balanced) Briton - empire USA - capitalism France - empire Russia - USSR China - Communism

[@kimibellzhong5670]

The Japanese government also encouraged Japanese woman to become pmrostitudes for American soldiers in an attempt to please them.

[@momo-cchi5978]

3:25 You are LITERALLY the first person that'd EVER explained to me WHY everybody and they mama wanted Japan to open up and start trading with them. Every other "educational channel" would just gloss over that topic smh. 😅

[@willywonka4340]

logistics and geopolitics are way underrated

[@BRYCONIC]

Wikipedia is great

[@willywonka4340]

@@BRYCONIC I stopped giving Wikipedia money when they started taking political stance instead of staying neutral. These days they really lean hard to the left

[@kingace6186]

There was one more thing. The US's interest to get just one* more market to sell its goods to at the advantage of American corporations; the defining trait of American imperialism (ie: Banana Wars). That's why they were the first to succeed in making Japan open up. The new companies that were being founded under the Meiji Restoration only thrived by dealing with these American business interests.

[@SusCalvin]

The scramble for ports isn't new when Perry shows up. Age of sail vessels also had to land and make repairs or take in fresh water, food, rope, canvas, timber and all the things a sailing ship with some hundred blokes on it need. Port towns would have whole little industries build up for servicing the ships and the people who crew them. The european power who controlled a port town would get to put down the rules for it, from how long pubs could be open to banning import of competing tobacco.

[@ashleyw5064]

Japanese colonial was fundamentally different from the colonies of other countries.0:33　18:34 The colonies increased life expectancy and literacy rates, built schools, railroads, power plants, and airports, opened up the slave class, and treated them like the Japanese in terms of pay. There are also records of teaching them agricultural techniques, increasing rice yields, and buying rice at a fair price.I don't know about natural rubber or anything like that, so if anyone knows, comment. If possible, please include evidence. When there were deaths from starvation in the colonies, there were also deaths from starvation in Japan, and the massacre of Comfort Women is doubtful if you check the records created by the U.S. military at the time to process the postwar period. When there was conscript labor, the Japanese had conscript labor as well. There is no other country like that. Very interesting. What we have to be careful about is that there are people who have been educated that Japan is a terrible country without any evidence.

[@user-lg1zz4yd3k]

？？？侵略战争杀人不可怕吗？？你知道中国遭受多少苦难，你如果仔细了解，吓死你，中国是安理会常任理事国，不是随意得来的，日本军队攻占了大半个中国，只有高原和高山地区没有打进去，无差别轰炸中国每一个大城市，你知道中国有多少个大城市吗？中国与日本决战，三天几十万阵亡。你知道中国有多少国宝吗?几百万件国宝，为了不被日本抢走，运送几千公里到中国的内陆高山之中，中国的大学一直往内陆迁移。日本是中华文化圈，中国文化圈，不是欧美文化，没有奴役外族的文化。日本土地太小，抢了殖民地，好好的经营，这是符合逻辑的，同时，日本组织了几十万农民迁移到殖民地，开垦农业。日本农民当是穷，没饭吃，日本电视剧阿信，东亚东南亚国家都有播放，中国是中央电视台播放，，日本农民很苦，没有自已的土地，土地属于富豪所有，租借土地种植。不要美化日本军国主义侵略行为！！！中国是日本的父亲。中国更早向欧美学习，但是失败了，原因是中国的皇帝是满族，满族人口极少，不想学习。日本获得了中国编写的外国知识汇编书籍。1500年，欧洲的传教士就到了中国，当时的中国，工业技术是世界最好的，中国工业书籍传到了欧洲，帮助了欧洲的工业革命，

[@user-us2zp1yf6g]

You are the only one who researched the real history of Japan. If you listen to the words of those who criticize Japan, there are many people who are swayed by emotional theory.

[@soncho4203]

南京事件についても調べてみてください。この事件は不可解な点がいくつもあります。

[@38m99]

@@soncho4203南京事件の資料館に展示している酷い写真資料の多くが、日本の新聞社である朝日新聞や毎日新聞の出版している、写真集から引用したものが多いことも知ってほしい。しかも引用元の書籍には写真と一緒に撮影者が撮影時の状況の手書きも一緒に掲載されている。しかし、南京事件の資料館に展示されている写真は引用元から手書きの状況説明部分を切り取って展示している。これは明らかに無関係の写真であることをわかっていて、印象操作のため出来事を捏造していると言わざるを得ない。実際に捏造の例であったのは、鶏を現地の人から購入した日本軍人の写真を、解説部分を切り取って現地人から食料を強奪した日本軍人と紹介されている。

[@user-gq6de6bi2v]

누가 가족들 다 죽여도 돈 준다고 하면 좋아할 놈이네ㅋㅋㅋ

[@noby5456]

I wanted a reference to national character. While Western countries are basically heavily individualistic, Japan tends to value the group more than most Asian countries. I think this is one of the factors that have greatly influenced Japan's development today. Also, in education, there has been a system similar to private-level schools called (terakoya) since the Edo period, and the literacy rate at that time was one of the highest in the world, which is probably another reason for the rapid development of the country. I need to study a little more. Nevertheless, it was very interesting to see this way of looking at Japan's history from overseas.

[@may-ky6jl]

Towards the end of Edo period, English Photographer took Panorama pictures of Edo. He said that most cleanest Capital compare to Europe and all of Asia. The Capital looked much better buildings than Kyoto and larger city. All plumbing systems were there with running clean water and waste water without waste. Japanese were Vegetarian for thousands years. so no mess from animals, nor humans were seen at all. That was English man's diary with photos of Edo. Also he took Panorama view of East from Atago Yama. mountain. Japanese literacy was over 70% and England was only 20% .

[@GATE12JPN]

@@may-ky6jl Important point of view. It may seem surprising, but Edo (Tokyo) is a city of rivers. Most of the rivers are now culverts. Some researchers argue that Edo was better equipped than Venice. The development of rivers that suffered from flooding supported the development of Edo. Modern Tokyo is built on the legacy of the Edo period, such as well-maintained roads and regular trains.

[@may-ky6jl]

@@freneticness6927 British literacy in 1700 that is as low as 30%. the late 1400s 10% of men were literate, climbing to 20% in the 1500s, 30% by 1650, 45% by 1714, and 60% by 1754. For women was : 10% by 1600, 25% by 1714, and 40% in 1754.

[@HistoryScope]

Lots of countries have such a mentality without getting rich. While even more countries which don't have that mentality did get rich. "national character" doesn't appear to influence the wealth of a country as much as competent economic policy.

[@josephjeon804]

​@@HistoryScopesource?

[@chillout914]

Japan is for us tunisians without a visa and also they invested in my country so much and helped us i think our good relations because we helped the before and look how they give back amazing country and people

[@user-lm6jy6zs3m]

I am glad to hear you say so, as a Japanese. You will be blessed, and we will not only improve our international standing, but also find a way to make the most of trade. We will make each other happy. This is also the way for Japan, a small country, to live. I wish Tunisia and Japan eternal development!

[@Kokudou_Risa]

"USA never colonized other people" Philippines: ........

[@torilan2672]

I thought that was a joke?

[@macbook3562]

Naitive Americans…

[@SuperYoshikong]

He was being sarcastic

[@georgebou5497]

Puerto Rico and Guam...since 1898

[@luluflowers9277]

What about Hawaii....

[@samuelrodriguezrivera6856]

very informative! a lot of good topics asked and answered. Thanks for making these!

[@uknrfc]

French anthropologist Emmanuel Todd says Japan was the only country that voluntarily increased its literacy rate outside Europe. And its driving force came from family structure; lineal family structure which are also seen in Germany, southern France and Scotland. I think the lineal family structure was the main reason why Meiji restoration was succeeded. Speaking about colonization policy, there was interesting contrast between Western countries and Japan. They say Western countries exploited from its colony, on the other hand Japan invested to its colony. Japan invested huge amount of money to Korean Peninsula to make Korea into modernized society. I think America was not justice during WW2. America should have to be judged for massive massacre of Japanese civilians during war. Thirty years of Japan’s stagnation began due to economical attacks from America by using manipulation of dollar exchange ratio. And still continues due to austerity policies imposed by economists trained in America.

[@CerridwenAwel]

Not saying the US strategy didn't bring evils with it, but the most guilty for the bombings, as I see it, was Emperor Hirohito and his exploitation of bushido, and actually, were the US to follow with their original strategy, there would have been way more deaths than what the bombings caused. The difference is that a nuclear explosion is much more dramatic and horrifying than consecutive bombings. Thankfully, those bombings and USSR's invasion of manchuria led Hirohito to finally surrender. But the version of history we learn isn't taught in Japan. I'm from South America by the way. And if we talk about being judged for war crimes, there's a lot for the Japanese to answer to, as well. The rest of Asia and the world knows it well. Koreans don't have such happy memories of the Japanese occupation.

[@user-bs2qg9lk7l]

CerridwenAwel You're right.

[@user-kankan10]

​@@CerridwenAwelそれならば朝鮮半島の近代に国民は朝鮮のリーダーにどのような扱いを受けていたのか振り返ってみるといい。地理的にも中国と近かったため沢山の奴隷が連れて行かれた。日本が負けたときこのリーダー一派が再び戻ってきただけに過ぎない。

[@CerridwenAwel]

@@popcorn9006 don't mistake explanation for justification. One thing is the reasoning behind it, the other is whether there was justice or not. There's no justice in any war. War is the opposite of justice. And this reply of yours shows it quite well. People lose the ability to see both sides and be impartial. They go to the extreme, not to the middle. And that's human. So no, don't misconstrue me thinking that I'm justifying anything. I merely try to be neutral, and try to understand what truly led the events to be. There's no fixing anything if people aren't even aware of what actually were the mistakes and ride on divergent stories, to demonize an enemy and feed their resentment. But it feels good, doesn't it, to attack and talk of how absurdly horrible it all was, and how anyone who dares to not embrace the resentment, and even *gasp* try to understand the devil, they are all automatically horrible people. Yeah. It's been like that since the dawn of time. We really addressed none of our mistakes. But to satisfy you: it was indeed a heinous aggression, with terrible aftermath, and perhaps a great mistake in strategy. But it was not intended to be so. Such is ignorance. But go on, hate me to your heart's content. If that makes you happy, go for it. It does seem to be your cup of tea. About Korea: funny that the Koreans have such a deep resentment for the Japanese, it's as if the merits pale in comparison... But such is war isn't it? I'm sure the Koreans are just ungrateful psychopaths, for not recognizing the great advancements brought forth by Japan... aren't they?

[@AdamWaltersPDX]

I did a year abroad at that "agriculture college" also known as Hokkaido University. Most amazing university. I studied agriculture sustainability. They know what they are doing.

[@roar5853]

Hokkaido have amazing dairy products too!❤

[@m45u]

I'm a HU student. I'm surprised Hokudai is mentioned in the comments!

[@AdamWaltersPDX]

@@m45u Great place. Peter is a great guy too. :) I'm visiting Sapporo now. We should hang out haha.

[@m45u]

@@AdamWaltersPDX I'm glad to hear that:) Yeah, Sapporo is nice place(weather in winter is a litlle bit harsh tho). Sapporo has less snow this year, so hope you enjoy your visit!

[@KenKobayashiRasmussen]

With your education and knowhow and especially your experience in Hokkaido, can you tell me why the Hokkaido milk is so different from my country's milk? Makes everything taste better, ice cream, stews...

[@skysky6403]

I love Japan❤️🇯🇵

[@ihatekkk]

Eat the atomic bomb

[@user-oo8gt4xc6b]

Rich country, poor people. This is Japan.

[@Thunderbolt4]

今の日本はまず人口減少の問題を解消しなければならない 1.2億人の人口を維持できるように その次に日本を守ることをする。スパイを取り締まる法律を作ったり、国内や未来への投資を活性化する

[@raeldor]

The efficient policy decisions around education and industrialization after the war is just mind blowing to me. Having spent a lot of time in Japan I can say, even though it's not a perfect country, the spirit of co-operation here is very strong. In the US it often feels like political parties are fighting each other for the sake of it and not working together for the good of the country.

[@MikeBNumba6]

US politics do work together when it comes to making lives easier for the rich corporations.

[@stavroshadjiyiannis6283]

There are three main reasons why Japan has stagnated during the past three decades. First, many trade restrictions have been imposed on them by the US and the EU, while at the same time these restrictions have been removed for China. Second, with the plaza accord, Japan was forced to revalue the yen quite substantially. Thirdly, the lack of cheap immigrant labour has certainly taken its toll.

[@maplemiles3381]

Cheap labour's I can see lack of immigrants but cheap labour seems over the top. I think the long shifts they work. I think they make a lot of money unlike say in China where their is no such thing as overtime pay.

[@saywhat664]

Plaza Accord, as Japanese strongly agree. That’s the beginning of the downhill.

[@mckendrick7672]

Cheap immigrant labour has propped up Western countries, but it's not a solution to the problem, only a band-aid. The West is simply kicking the problem down the road, and when it finally does blow up it'll be far more disastrous because Western nations will have become far less culturally stable.

[@iPlayOnSpica]

Western countries are actually facing the same stagnation, but they're being offset with foreign labor. Without foreign labor, they would be in the same situation as Japan with negative population growth. However, as we can see around us, it has become an area of conflict and cultural degradation (the US especially likes to spin up race issues from nothing so its people don't unite and demand for reforms).

[@numbersix8919]

You left out the most fundamental problem. The real estate bubble. It was started by the BOJ which directed banks to lend ever more and more money for home mortgages. According to the head of the BOJ this was a "necessary shock to enable the introduction of structural reforms, to make the Japanese economy more efficient." Ten years after the Bubble had burst, MITI (the Ministry of International Trade and Industry), which had directed strategic investment during Japan's pre- and post-war industrial expansions, was deposed from its premier position in the government bureaucracy, stripped of its powers, and made subservient to the Ministry of Finance. Ever since, neoliberal reforms of the usual kind (social spending cuts, austerity, privatization, de-regulation of capital, shift to temp jobs, outsourcing, contracting, offshoring, mergers, foreign investment) have degraded purchasing power, job security, and the confidence to have children or start families or even to go on dates. The Japan Postal Savings accounts, mainly the savings of ordinary salary- and wage-earners, totaled over $2 trillion -- liquid, not notional -- before privatization, the largest single accumulation of capital in the world at that time. In neoliberal terms, the small interest paid to small savers for their no-risk investment equals inefficiency. The Japan Postal Savings wasn't the only attraction, of course, but it was quite a tempting one. The scourge of neoliberal economics is the West devouring itself from the inside out. PS About 20 years after the Bubble hit its high point in Japan, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the quasi-governmental mortgage underwriters in the US, started following the same policy as the BOJ had done, with even more catastrophic results. The majority of people of the US have not only not recovered, they have lost their hope of ever doing so, and life expectancy is now declining, a first in human history (excluding the former USSR during its decade of neoliberal "shock therapy").

[@Felipe-pk1nz]

The Japanese are such clever and smart people, I am just so fascinated by their expertise during industrialization, while I am watching the video

[@eagl3ye]

Having studied Japanese, visited Japan, and other countries in East Asia, I always found it interesting how there was both a strong enmity and admiration for Japan among Chinese and South Koreans.

[@haplol7267]

japanese are trying so hard to glorify their war crimes

[@cheerful_crop_circle]

Lol

[@user-nw3sj9ud2k]

In World War II, Japan invaded China and Korea, and Japanese soldiers brutalized the people of the invaded countries like the SS did, with the difference that Japan has not apologized for it to this day, and is even publicly honoring the executed war criminals

[@dddiving]

As a Chinese, I gotta push back a bit. Given the brutal history of Japanese invasion during World War II and their reluctance to fully acknowledge their wrongdoing, most chinese folks hold a pretty negative view of japan. the admiration you mentioned might be more of a thing among koreans, but personally, I've never come across anyone around me who's all gung-ho about japan.

[@esta176]

This is because the Chinese Communist Party is conducting anti-Japanese education to prevent criticism against them.@@dddiving

[@user-cx3yk3nx6w]

As a Korean, I learn briefly about Japanese history in class. In school, we learned that the reason for Japan's success in modernization was the development of urbanization and commerce. I don't remember the exact terminology, but the shogun took the daimyo's family hostage and made them visit Tokyo regularly, and commerce developed along the daimyo's route to Tokyo. It also teaches that residential areas were determined based on social status, so the upper class lived in the castle and merchants flocked there, leading to concentrated urbanization.

[@user-ky6zl4hn1c]

その通りです！

[@user-tu4fe5fd4h]

よく知っていますね。 凄い！

[@user-tl4tj4zx2u]

参勤交代

[@user-cx3yk3nx6w]

@@user-tl4tj4zx2u Yes, I remember learning about the Sankin Kottai system in school. thank you for reminding me

[@CliffCardi]

The “Just in Time” production started by Toyota greatly reduces parts and labor costs-but there is one drawback. If there is a sudden and great disruption in the global supply chain, say a pandemic, then it will take a LONG time to get back to normal operational quotas as and efficiency.

[@pablolarrain385]

This is so convenient I was just asking this question in my history class today! Thanks History Scope!

[@churblefurbles]

Its a convenient answer indeed, leaving out the factor of quality of human capital as always.

[@AttyKev]

woah. careful now on the "facts" 20:38

[@Asidders]

This is incredibly well explained. I've spent months researching some of the topics you talk about and you do it so seemingly easy in just a few minutes. I'm stunned!

[@tamuraschlee5524]

I love listening to your video while at work. Thanks for the efforts.

[@apollocreed1000]

This model is very hard to copy. Japan's biggest advantage over other countries that have not succeeded in developing is their social cohesion. The population trust their leaders and don't fight each other, so they can achieve shared goals very easily.

[@rayg4988]

​@@kijesticproductions7640no u r wrong. Japan started first then Korea then China. The time line doesn't match so to compare China number now is not exactly fair. China is actually exactly on the same path as other east Asian nations except they now got a huge push back from the US because China grow to the same level as Korea and Japan prosperity means it will eclipse the US due to its size.

[@HANAMARUchin]

The feeling of admiration for the emperor unites the Japanese people.

[@lapisanyta]

@@rayg4988 The economy growth of China is made at the expense of its own people, so no, China can't get to the height of Japan even without US push back.

[@barista_2060]

Also geography probably

[@apollocreed1000]

@@kijesticproductions7640 The China that had a massive civil war in the 40s and is still threatening Taiwan and oppressing Hong Kong? Not really the same cohesion level is it?

[@crobatgaming5661]

Nicely explained! As someone who already know all this i love this type of colourful presentation

[@OroguSaki]

Great video, very educational overview of Japan's recent history. As a person living in Japan for quite a while, there are a few inaccuracies: 1. If Heiniken is the same in Netherlands as it is everywhere else in the world, then Sapporo is definitely better. 2. Some reasons for Japan's stagnation: - As you mentioned, Japan was outcompeted by other developing nations. It's quite harder to succeed when you're no longer the only one doing it. - Japan's conglomerate companies are notoriously slow and difficult to adapt. For example, even they were leading markets like smartphones, they never could catch up to the new software-driven smartphones and got completely annihilated by the likes of Apple and Google. Their camera business soon followed, and decades later they are still unable to produce a good smart product. 3. Western ideas of feminism and serving Japanese women the ideal of joining the industrial workforce, benefited their companies at first, but was short sighted, and certainly didn't help them in the long-run. It harmed the institute of family, it created a sexless generation of eternal teenagers, and Japanese greatest challenge right now is infertility and very disadvantageous demographics. In might sound obvious, but Western ideas aren't always the best; Western nations that idealize the "career woman" still suffer from infertility despite having very comfortable work-life balance, and tons of child-raising benefits. In fact, it would be quite arrogant to believe that Western ideas are always the right ones. Japan had gender equality in their own way. They had more defined gender roles, different but equally important ways that one contributes to their family, and that doesn't mean men and women weren't equally valued and respected.

[@websoup]

You made some very good points.

[@blee100]

Hello, from another person who has lived in Japan for quite some time. 1.) infertility is the inability to procreate at the most basic and physical level, not the lack of desire to. 2.) creating a system for women to gain upward mobility and define themselves other than potential wives and walking, talking incubators is not a western ideal. It’s an ideal that flows through a society which has achieved adequate resources to provide individuals with the time to reflect on their own wants and needs. Your apparent prioritization of procreation does not and should not dictate how individuals, or women, spend their time and energy. If suddenly you were able to carry children, would you feel comfortable giving up all your ambitions to birth children and care for a household. Probably not, so why on earth would you sit here and act like it’s “their place”. It’s really gross. I think women can have important traditional roles in the household if they so choose to take on that role. Men also have an important role in the traditional sense but that role comes with a lot more freedom and autonomy. Women couldn’t even vote until after the war. Cut the crap.

[@hirochillax]

Japanese here. Japanese people were able to recover from the devastating post-war situation in a remarkably short period due to several key factors. Firstly, Japan's island geography made it challenging to rely on foreign aid, fostering a foundation for cooperative efforts among villagers to overcome difficulties. Additionally, the well-established education system of "terakoya," advanced schools dating back to the samurai era, played a crucial role. Japanese people's diligence led to the production of quality goods, sparking an industrial revolution known as the bubble economy. This era was characterized by prosperity and continuous growth.😅

[@salvadorvizcarra769]

Propaganda, but NOT History, has led us to believe that the Empire of Japan began its territorial expansion in the 1930’s, invading China, creating the puppet State of Manchukuo and “Provoking” the war with the Western Powers. But, Was this really, how events happened? Did Japan invade China and South East Asia? It seems so. However, the Propaganda does NOT say that for centuries, all Asia was invaded by Western Powers. England occupied India, Burma (Myanmar); Borneo, Sumatra, Singapore, Malaysia and China (Hong Kong, Nanking, Shanghai, etc). France dominated all Indochina. The Netherlands intervened by the Force of its Arms, to all of Indonesia. And Belgium, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and of course, also the United States were in South East Asia cuz, for example this country, the US, occupied the Philippines since 1898. (Spanish-American War). Thus the panorama in the 30's, the Empire of Japan, when defeating to the Tsarist Russian Empire, it also decided to "Grow" by invading its neighbors. In those years, all European nations had colonies in Africa, India, the Middle East, Australia, Asia and America. (England came to occupy almost ¼ part of the planet). For its part, the US, in 113 years of existence as a nation in those years, had "Grown" 711 the size of its territory from its original 13 colonies. Now is the picture clear? Japan for its part, had fought on the side of the winners in World War I (1914-1918), and they, the Japanese, not awarded any "Gain". The western victors of WWI divided the world. Japan was excluded. Thus, Japan's motives for attacking and expanding as the Europeans and the US did seem clearer, right? Then they, the Japanese, attacked China in 1931, which was occupied by 6 Western Powers for almost a century. None of the Western Powers occupying China at this time, OPPOSED or fought Japan for Invading China. NONE! Then, 11 years later after having occupied the territory of China and coexisted without any problem with the Western Powers within China, they, the Japanese, attacked Hawaii, which in turn, this Island had been occupied and annexed by the US in 1898. (In 1900-01, Hawaii became US territory and Hawaii ceased to be an independent nation after more than 630 years of sovereignty. By the time Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the United States had just completed the 40th anniversary of the military occupation and annexation of Hawaii). They, the Japanese, attacked Singapore, which was then a Colony of England. They, the Japanese, attacked the Philippines, which were occupied by the US and whose Gov’r, Douglas MacArthur reined as Emperor. Yup… Truly like an Absolute Autocrat. Therefore, the Japanese did NOT attack (In the 40’s), Singapore, Burma, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Borneo, Timor, the Philippines, etc. In reality, the Japanese attacked England, France, Holland, the US, etc. That is, the Japanese attacked the Western Powers invading all of Asia. That is the verifiable truth. The Empire of Japan didn’t invade. Japan fought against the Invaders. But, Propaganda has made us believe that the good guys were us, the US. And of course… Nanking was a horrendous Genocide committed by Japan, but, it was no more horrendous than the 12 Genocides committed by the United States in his History and all over the world. Nor was it less horrendous than the Genocide committed by King Leopold II of Belgium, in Central Africa. Nor was Nanking more or less horrendous than the Genocides that the British Empire committed in America, Africa, Australia, Middle East, India and also in China too. In the Philippines (1898-1902), the US Army produced a Genocide of One Million people dead. ONE MILLION. And now, the Japanese are our friends and allies... Yup… But, to fight against China, AGAIN!!! Well… No More. No More British Malaya nor British Borneo nor British wherever. No More French Indochina. No more Dutch Indies. No More Portugese Domains. No More US Domain here. Asia is for Asians and “The China Sea” belongs to CHINA. Westerns powers have nothing to do in Asia. NOTHING!!!

[@setsaimu]

One of the things that people forget about that contributed greatly in Japan’s rapid growth was the people themselves. Long before the Meiji restoration, Japan had been renowned for their diligence and discipline and persistence. This was seen across all facets of Japanese society. The reason why Japan completed in 80 years what Western societies needed centuries to complete was because of this unsung discipline and determination. And as horrible and disgusting Imperial Japan was, one of the things allied soldiers admired about Japanese soldiers was their incredible discipline. And this carried on into the Cold War era. The Japanese are one of the most hard working and disciplined peoples of the world. As someone who grew up there for 18 years, it’s incredible to see how disciplined and diligent the Japanese are. Of course, this was at their own detriment socially but is still incredible.

[@Emilechen]

excellent remark, in fact, the Japaneses are excellent tacticans and executors, but they don't use to have great strategists or world-class leaders in their History, expect some few exceptions like the Meiji emperor, an advantage in the past can become the obstacle in the future, without doubt, Japan is a very successfully nation from 1850 until today, the biggest challenge for Japan is it is hard to go farer, it means that Japan is already at its zenith, later is just the decline, Japan loses their absolute domination in more and more traditional industrial fields such as smartphone, shipbuilding, television, computer, and even automobile due to the rise of electric car, face to the Chinese and Korean competition, and in some new and strategic fields, Japan hasn't been more advanced than China, such as civil drones, 5G drones, civil jet, space exploration, rocket and space station, hypersonic weapons... in the past, without competition from China, Japan can earn many money by ita products, then invest them in R&D, today, Jaoan loses markets shares and incomes, they don't have enough money to maintain their technological advance, if France and Germany can create the EU and becomes its leaders, having its own Sphere to compete with China and US, Japan doesn't have it, Japan doesn't have any organization in which Japan is the main leader, the lack of political power status is a lethal disadvantage for Japan, yeah, Japaneses are hard working and have discipline, but theses quality can also be possessed by the competitors of Japan, so Japan doesn't have other unique and special great advantages in the future, even Japan can still be an developped and rich country, it can't avoid to become a secondary power such as Spain, Netherlands... the decline is inevitable,

[@stargirl6659]

It’s still not clear to me. Where Japanese discipline or not?

[@thekarmicbrat]

I mean to be honest the work culture in Japan is sincerely toxic. The country rebuild itself at great personal cost and lots of sacrifices. It wasn't really that "'good," and it's a good thing that now the country is changing.

[@Emilechen]

@@thekarmicbratJapan is a very successfully country in 19 and 20th centuries, but the success of yesterday may become obstacle if tomorrow, today the Japanesea seem to losse the enthusiasm and become too conservative, they need courage to reform and change,

[@devinmes1868]

Japan would have not gotten as far as it did without the west to model itself after. The rapid industrialization and westernization of Japan was the result of having an example to follow, that being western countries. And they followed it very strongly, to the point where they even copied their model of colonization against "inferior races". Where would they be without their examples to follow and the institutions necessary to follow them? Japanese discipline has been able to shine through because they have the necessary institutions to allow it to shine through. Without them, it wouldn't even matter, and thus, you wouldn't know it exists.

[@teeganater]

You’ve easily become a top 5 channel for me. Keep up the good stuff, i feel like im learning a lot

[@commiepig8016]

Well narrated 😊

[@jajasaria]

thank you for a educational video. love your explanation

[@jkkmane]

Thank you for subtitles. Such an appreciated feat when the creators adds it.

[@gatuarhin]

A big reason why the Meiji Restoration worked in Japan but other similar movements around the world didn’t is because the average Japanese person was far wealthier and better educated than in other countries. Due to being an island, Japan didn’t have a large centralised standing army in its borders. This not only meant that citizens had lower taxes since less money was needed for the military, but it also meant that the army couldn’t slow efforts to industrialise, like what happened in the Ottoman Empire. The feudal nature of governance combined with all of this meant that it was easier for people to get educated, move to cities and start businesses. These reasons also led England, Venice and medieval Hungary to prosper (the mountains around Hungary had a similar affect).

[@HistoryScope]

From the sources I've read Japan was considered a poor country, even compared to the Ottoman Empire. My sources state that Japan's plans worked because they never indebted themselves to other countries. While the Ottoman Empire spent 13% of its budget repaying debts to other countries, Japan repaid its debt to Japanese people. So any money that was borrowed came from Japan and stayed in Japan. This had 3 consequences. 1. The profits stayed in Japan, instead of going to another country (as was the case for a lot of others) 2. The Japanese were personally invested in making the Meiji Restoration work. 3. Foreign countries couldn't meddle as much in Japanese affairs because they had no leverage over the economy.

[@gatuarhin]

@@HistoryScope I was mainly talking about other countries who tried to industrialise like Thailand and Korea rather than European countries when I said that they were wealthy, the Ottomans were already actively industrialising well before Japan. The main thing though is that literacy in Japan was very high and businesses were doing well even before the Meiji restoration, which allowed for the fast industrialisation after opening up the country. The Janissaries were one of the main factors holding the Ottomans back but even after they were removed, the Ottomans kept getting into large expensive wars (that still necessitated a large army) and they kept losing and taking on debt from those wars. The Ottomans were taking a lot of foreign debt for industrialisation in part because they didn’t have enough public money or domestic private investors to quickly industrialise their massive country, unlike Japan. Island countries or countries that were otherwise naturally defended didn’t need large armies and thus had stronger merchants and nobles compared to their governments. This meant that they had more of the nation’s manpower and resources going towards economic innovation and growth, and so they industrialised more easily and with less obstacles.

[@awakeningEmpath]

explains why DPRNK's are so poor spending 25% of their GDP on the military for a war that never happens

[@clintmarkching9140]

​​​​​@@gatuarhinJapan during the late bakufu period particularly the peasants were not literate and certainly not wealthy. As one of the policy enacted by Tokugawa Ieyasu was to keep the people poor so they will not be threat to the shogunate. One of the major reason meiji restoration was successful, because the transition of power and political stability is more or less "stable", those who opposed the reforms are few and easily dealt with and no major battle/war occured in the japanese soil prior to the meiji restoration and then after that the only major event that tried to oppose the modernization was the last stand of saigo takamori to the central govt which was easily dealt with. After that centralization of political power to the natl govt was achieved and reforms are easily conducted and the policy of the govt that time was strong economy strong military and they tried to emulate the european powers as much as possible in everything.

[@clintmarkching9140]

I would also add, the Joseon dynasty failed to modernize because the nobility opposed it to the point the real power was not in the imperial family but those powerful ministers who were very conservative as any change were threat to their powers and their backward thinking😂😂

[@orlanduhden5842]

I really enjoyed this video, thank-you for sharing. 🙂

[@captainamerica5826]

I admire the Japanese for there work ethic and there intelligence that small country has gave so much to the World 🇯🇵🇺🇲❤️💪

[@user-pt5yo7xp6j]

It has become clear that the reason for Japan's lack of economic growth is unrelated to population or aging. The main cause is deflation, which has persisted for a long time. This phenomenon, in which the value of goods decreases and the value of money increases, is very advantageous for public servants and pensioners. It cannot be solved by innovation or other means. However, Abenomics began financial easing ten years ago, and finally in 2023, signs of deflation escape have emerged. Japan has achieved a growth rate of 2% and will continue to grow slowly. As a result, the amount of Japanese government bonds issued has increased, but 90% of them are denominated in yen and borrowed domestically, so there is nothing to worry about. With economic growth and gradual inflation, the value of debt wilcontinue to decrease

[@Plantrum]

Love the videos man. Keep it up!

[@ferminromero2602]

Great video. Thanks for posting this!

[@SusCalvin]

I've started to think of the technology in isolationist Japan as early modern period level, not medieval level. They have clocks and firearms and all that but all of it is much closer to 1600 Europe than 1300 Europe. During the sengoku jidai, people are fighting eachother with armies that would easily compare to european field armies of the time. Large non-aristocratic conscripted/recruited soldiery fill the ranks, the arquebus is becoming a main element but not so strong that you can do away with spears and protective positions. There are cottage industries in the cities. Clockmaking in Europe was a cottage industry where artisans filed down cogs in their workshop-homes. Japan ends up with the sort of central government that can organize and field these kinds of armies.

[@crimsonnight824]

The thing I really like about this channel is how economics, history and politics are explained very simply. Definitely one of the best history channels out there.

[@dfsdh432v9]

economics and econometrics is totally different thing. econometrics is an application of statistics. 😂

[@earlysda]

Crimson, this video is mostly fiction. If you want to know the real history of Japan, find a real history channel.

[@crimsonnight824]

@@earlysda would you care to point out the inaccuracies to History Scope then? I'm very aware that not all history videos are completely 100% accurate. History is prone to bias and sometimes simplification due to time constraints fails to portray the full picture.

[@earlysda]

@@crimsonnight824 Sure, Crimson. At first, I thot there might just be one or two inaccuracies that would be hardly worth mentioning, but seeing lots of them in just the first 2 minutes 3 seconds, I gave up. . 0:46 "Japan was the first country that managed to catch up with the other developed nations of its time". This is completely false, and even strange in its use of English. . 0:49 Actually, Japan never became an example for Greece. Korea and Taiwan were former colonies of Japan. . 1:20 Actually, the time is called the "Edo" period, not Tokugawa, altho that phrase is used in some situations. . 2:03 This lie was the back-breaker for me: "Japan was... fully aware of the outside world".Totally, completely, laughably false. I refuse to waste any more of my time on this, and feel sad for those who think they are learning something when actually they are being fed fiction. .

[@el_iron_duke]

I am Indian and I heard a story from my uncle about some Japanese travellers coming to India during the colonial era. They saw white men treating the Indians like animals, throwing food and money towards them and the desperate Indians running towards the food and money to pick it up. It was like feeding birds for the Europeans. The Japanese travellers were horrified by the sight of the degradation of a country from whom they have had so much cultural influence in the past. The thought of the Japanese turning to be like this for the Europeans horrified them even more. These travellers spread the news of such events in their country horrifying their own people. Such stories played an important role in why the Japanese were so hell bound in industrialising and reaching the same level as the Western powers.

[@brothermalcolm]

Did u mean china instead of india?

[@el_iron_duke]

@@brothermalcolm I am from India and my Uncle is from India. The story he told us about was from India. But I wouldn't be surprised if the same was the case in the European ruled areas in China. In Vietnam there is video footage of White women throwing food to poor Vietnamese children like they are birds so I'd say this was true all over Asia.

[@jacques.cousteau]

Stop the cap, this never happened😂😂 or find me a source for that

[@el_iron_duke]

@@jacques.cousteau this story was told to me by my uncle. Idk from where he learned that but there is a video footage of French women throwing food to hungry Vietnamese kids like a pastime which is a similar instance to what my uncle told me. So such cases might have happened in several places. The humiliation faced by Asians and people from other continents under European colonisation knew no limits. From forced migration to places far away from their homes to being kept in human zoos. So this isn't impossible.

[@fromfareastindy8234]

What you have heard is correct. Because most Japanese people know this kind of story. In fact, it was not necessarily only India that attracted attention, but China, for example, which was being exploited by opium, which was shocking to Japan at the time. As you say, Japan imported many religions, cultures, etc. from India and China for a long time. For us Japanese, China and India are civilized countries with a long history, and if those countries are being exploited by Western countries right before our eyes, it is enough for us to feel that Japan is next.

[@knightyyknight1494]

thats why i respect them soo much as a country, they choose revenge a different way and captivated the world with their decision. Love that for them.

[@snz844]

thank you for sharing such a wonderful video!

[@Durkadur_II]

Your videos are so good man, I've watched many "History of Japan" videos but somehow you managed to make the same old story feel brand new, keep it up!

[@cloudynguyen6527]

True, most history of Japan videos always praise about admiral Perry and joke about how him force Japan to open. But I never quite understand why Japan insists on isolation or other country even wants to trade with Japan, until after this video.

[@HistoryScope]

I had those same questions when writing this video. I'm glad I was able to answer them for you as well

[@andrewpritt8739]

@@nomulahemanth3109 Bro quit spamming him!

[@blankspace1126]

@@nomulahemanth3109 the fact you spammed so many comments and wrote so many words proves exactly how insecure you are about India.

[@g76agi]

​@@nomulahemanth3109And yet 10% of the population still lives on less than 2.15$ a day, again, no one wants to end up like india, no offense

[@Dr.Kananga]

They are rich despite the very high public debt, which begs the question: why is this different for each western country? The first whim of answer to why Japan is so wealthy is because they manage to nationally share their economic and commercial wealth prior to let capitals go abroad, this includes resources as well. This means their economy set priorities that must be satisfied prior to investing elsewhere.

[@hakusai3325]

コメント欄を見ると、日本に詳しすぎる

[@bigschoolgaming8002]

From a foreign perspective, the Japanese economy may appear to be stagnant.　However, Japan has the world's highest foreign net worth and an abundance of US Treasury bond dollars. Japan also issues the yen, which is its key currency, and through currency swaps with Asia, for example, prevents the collapse of Asia currencies and bankruptcies. I would also like to add that Japan's financial system is rock-solid; for example, Japanese banks provide letters of credit to South Korea, but if this were to stop, South Korea would be unable to trade with foreign countries.

[@user-ed7rh5dr9v]

The example is wrong. Korea's international trade began to shift from letters of credit to remittance methods in the 2010s, and as Korea's economy continued to grow, Korean bank credit rating and Korean foreign exchange reserves increased. As of 2023, the impact of Japanese letters of credit on the Korean economy I think it is insignificant.

[@wayamato9226]

正しい解釈です〜

[@redinthesky1]

The insane work ethic focused on quality

[@HeckaZecka]

I don’t think there’s a country I respect more than Japan

[@W_Bin]

Excellent informative doc! Thanks! Subscribed.

[@sharkbaitinnewengland8156]

Thank you for sharing!!!

[@uncreativename9936]

If you wanna know more about the Japanese economy from WWII and after, particularly the economic slump. I'd highly recommend Richard Werner's "Princes of the Yen". He was an economist working in Japan in the 90's and he invented quantitative easing, which is what the Federal Reserve did in the US in response to the 2008 housing crisis. Japan never properly implemented QE, they did Werner's second step of it in the 90's and it didn't work since they never did the first step.

[@Kenny-yl9pc]

I would appreciate it if you would include all the territory of Japan, if you show and highlight it on a map. For example, you left Okinawa and the Ryukyu/Nansei islands out. Japan is much bigger, than just the “main” islands.

[@danever159]

that next video sounds great. cant wait.

[@ami_Happypeople]

I live in Japan, and although the percentage of Japanese people with great wealth is not high, few suffer from poverty or hunger. There is no shortage of food. There are even people who are 80 or 90 years old working for foreign companies. They work from 3:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Many of them live a demanding life. Although they do not speak English, the country has a competitive impact on the world economy. When Japan prospered, it did not erase the rich life, but went to developing countries and countries suffering from diseases and gave its life and invested a lot of money. Japanese people have a lot of foreign currency deposits. Even though they don't speak English. But Japan has prospered so much because of the technology we learned from the US and our friends in Taiwan who believed in Japan and worked there. Thanks for introducing Japan to us. Nice video!

[@user-bf5nj9hr8d]

Beautiful story of Japan. I didn’t know how strong and dedicated and cultural discipline they were for a long time and finally they succeeded at last. Good luck and many blessings to Japan 🇯🇵

[@nami9078]

ありがとうございます😆❤️🇯🇵

[@earlysda]

This video's story is not of the real country of Japan.

[@theearth4529]

​@@nami9078 such a long text for "thank you" omg

[@SC-jt3uf]

@@earlysda no

[@BennygoatHistory]

Fantastic video! Always loved Japan and their history, especially their background in industry and economics

[@nichtSchwindeln]

This video is very good bud thanks for theese informations you given us!

[@adrees]

Fantastic video. Very informative

[@itseveryday8600]

I don't think Japan has caught on to the concept of 'work smarter, not harder'. I think there''s a lot of room to improve effiency in Japan's work culture such as reducing paper work, and 'zan-gyou' (overtime work). Once Japan wake up to this concept, our productivity will increase.

[@earlysda]

Very true!

[@CrabTastingMan]

Japan's "prosperity" was just trillions of US taxpayer dollars. All that asian version of Marshall Plan money which was gonna go to capitalist china went to Japan alone because Japan destroyed all the capitalist regimes left in Asia and even allied with the CCP in May of 1945 to communize China (from there more nations Japan destroyed would have easier time using China as a springboard to get communism spread). Much like how West Germany grew prosperous right after WW2. Both Axis Powers were also behind making Europe and Asia more communist after all. US poured 6 trillion in 20 years in Middle East, now imagine dozens of times that money just for Japan especially every time there was a communist-capitalist war on the continent and US Senators needed a moneylaundering scheme where they get Congress to give the money to Japan, Japan pours a bit of that back at legalized lobbying firms in Washington DC so senators can legally get a boost to their political funds in a roundabout way. Do you think if a nation got itself rich on its own two feet, it would ever have gotten into an unprecedented 30 year recession and deflation economy in the first place, which somehow "coincides" with the end of the Cold War? This is no different from when East Germany's economy floundering when Soviets had to stop pretending communism makes nations prosperous. Japan never got here on its own two feet. Its history since samurais was always about massacres, at least 3 times the tax rate of world averages to build big armies to invade and steal from others (and switch sides whenever they desired. While selling tons of Japanese girls to Portuguese slavers to buy muskets, like what was going on in 18th century Western African nations) Starting ith massacre of the Japanese native tribes because that was the shogun's job as the "Sei-i Taishogun," or the "Grand General to Conquer Barbarians." Not just any grand general, but it was a national project to eradicate natives. Japan eliminated Ezo, Hayato, Kumaso, and ran off Ainu, Nivkh, Oroks to Siberia. Okinawans were too far to eradicate so they made do with 90% tax rates which was a bit higher than the already high 75% average on the Japanese mainland, which made the Japanese peasants very cynical about the samurais ruling them, and had 3000 ikki uprisings in the 250-year "peaceful" Edo Period alone (That's 1 per month on average), because peasants got tired of starving so much that they had to kill their own kids in Mabiki rituals just to survive (look it up, there's even a book on it) to the point Edo Period saw a population growth stagnation because of too many infanticides (Nobuhiro Sato in the 19th century said 1/3 households kill a baby each year, giving rather specific numbers of recorded infanticides per region). Even China today has 55 minorities, some even thriving to reach a population of 40 million. America today after 250 years still has 550 nations of natives alone. Even the small island of Taiwan has 15 natives nations left. Japan has Ainu and Okinawans left, and only on the very far north or very far south on very remote islands, and the Okinawans absolutely resent the 400 years of massacres and samurai oppression, that they developed Karate to fight the samurai with inconspicuous farming tools because samurai confiscated all their swords and spears already, fearing uprising. It's why Nunchaku are actually grain-threshers, and Tonfas are grindstone handles, and lots of Karate moves make more sense if they are paired with such farming tools.

[@Toanharry]

Người nhật bản quá bảo thủ nếu cải thiện được điều đó thì nhật bản sẽ rất mạnh

[@akangsamuel9021]

​@@Toanharry that's what has made them to be what they are.

[@sm1purplmurderedme583]

yes exactly

[@01seiyer74]

近代から現代に繁栄している国家は、その前の封建制の時代に栄えていていた国家であると思います。 日本の封建制の江戸時代は工業化近代化という面では貧弱であったが識字率が高かった等文化的には栄えていた。 それらがベースとなり近代から現代に栄えたのだと思います。 I think that the nations that are prospering from the modern era to the present day are the nations that were flourishing in the previous feudal era. During the feudal Edo period in Japan, Japan was poor in terms of industrialization and modernization, but it flourished culturally, with a high literacy rate. I think that they became the base and prospered from the modern era to the present age.

[@Professor_Pat]

Thank you explaining this topic.

[@thathandsomedevil0828]

Great video! Very informing!! I love Japan and the Japanese, really itching for a visit!!! 👌😁 👍🇯🇵

[@ElectrostatiCrow]

If Japan didn't go through the lost decade and grew its popularity through birthrates it would probably have an economy between 15 to 20 trillion dollars. The average Japanese person was twice as rich as the average American during their economic peak.

[@Priyanand-kj5ch]

Japan isn't a big country there isn't that much housing space for all Japanese if it was like that and even if it had everything they lack startup culture, the students are dreaming for having a job in Corps

[@user-qc4vh7do5i]

In the last 30 years, prices and taxes have gone up, but wages have not. We Japanese call this the "（失われた30年）lost 30 years." People in this generation (born between 1971 and 1974) were in a category with a high percentage of the population by age, and did not have the economic leeway to marry or have and raise children. Therefore, in 2025, the age-specific ratio of Japan's population will change dramatically, becoming a "super-aging society," and the social structure and systems will reach a major turning point. expected to have an impact.

[@abdumalik-tp3je]

thank you and your team i enjoy watching your contents

[@eclkt]

Thank you for the video

[@tadashiogitsu]

Stagnate is one way to put it. If the economy relies heavily on importing resources from the other countries, you have to come up with a way to take balance between import and export. If the labor cost grow faster than export-import balance sheet, price of Japanese products increase to the point it will lose its competitiveness. One (ex. individual's income) is NOT unrelated to economy. In particular, the resource importing cost cannot be solved solely by making production efficient. Understanding those interrelationship is the key. I am really baffled by my observation that many professional economist seem to disregard the importance of interrelated issues.

[@user-cv6qk6lk5d]

It is often said in Japan that Japan is at the end of its life. ......about 30 years. But Japan is still a vibrant country. some power which I cannot notice is definitely accumulating. Japan can grow again. I believe it.

[@williamjayaraj9257]

Thank you very much for this video.

[@tesokaaita6049]

You and we ourselves also recognize the past 30 years as a period of stagnation in Japan, using the phrase “lost 30 years.” However, for some reason it still maintains the world's third largest GDP. Perhaps the state's stagnation period and the stagnation that individuals feel are different things.

[@user-us2zp1yf6g]

その通り。政治家が自己中心的な政策や、増税を繰り返したりするので国内的な政策においてはうまく行ってない。

[@walid7885]

I can solve that mystery for you about why Japan stalled in the last 30 years. You probably know this, but it's a taboo subject: the Plaza accord. The US was afarid of the rise of Japan, so it withheld some tech crucial to its development. The US gave licensing for some tech to Taiwan and South Korea only. Crushing Japanese industry. A well known story. The US is trying to repeat the same with China. But it's not working.

[@jackjones4824]

It’s also their demographics as well. Having more dependents in terms of elderly and less young workers puts a drag on the economy in terms of both production and consumption.

[@voicecommunities4810]

Withheld Technology? Japan is more technologically advanced than the USA!

[@user-sx2we1xe5q]

With American troops stationed in Japan, it's impossible for Japanese to refuse American demands.

[@xpusostomos]

What tech would that be?

[@walid7885]

@@xpusostomos Semiconductors. They cancelled the right of Japan to licence the patents and buy some tech from he US. Japan never recovered from that and actually never tried. They knew they were dealing with a jealous occupying force.They just submitted. The only hope of Japan is actually a Multi-polar world where they can compete freely among nations without fear of retaliation.

[@user-nq2oz3es1z]

Strictly, Edo was not the capital, but the governmental centre. the capital was Kyoto because Emperor lived there while Shogun's government or Bakufu ruled Japan.

[@RyuseiYamaguchi]

7:31 Meiji is actually the name of the era (Gengō), and Emperor Meiji obtained the current title after his death, which was the end of the era.

[@aptmap5181]

Japan rises again! New highs in stock market and manufacturing sectors

[@roar5853]

🎉🎉🎉

[@roar5853]

Japan is rising again. Not just industrial sector but also tourism and cultural sectors🎉

[@gentlemon2252]

Think again, it just dropped to no.4 in global nominal GDP. It's in the path to well-deserved oblivion.

[@silveriver9]

The title should be "The Rise and Fall and Rise and Fall of Japan."

[@user-it2on5tc6u]

and Rise of Japan

[@silveriver9]

@user-it2on5tc6u Where is the current rise? Average salaries have hardly increased for the last 3 decades, its even decreased for many. By the end of this century, Japan's population will be 50% that of today.

[@silveriver9]

@@user-it2on5tc6u Where is the rise?

[@arasgeylani]

Bravo, excellent video.

[@JY-tq4ir]

great video, watching half of it

[@TheboyInPurple915]

You can see how much the animations have improved

[@HistoryScope]

This was actually done by another person. I will pass the compliment along :)

[@TheboyInPurple915]

Oh 👍

[@you_dare_to_gaze_upon_me]

14:39 Fun fact: Qing China in 1911 tried a similar strategy, but because of corruption, the money invested did not come back to the shareholders. This leads to outrage among the local people of Sichuan who all invested in the project. Qing had to send the only modernized army to Sichuan region, and when they did so, people of other regions found a chance and overthrew the government. If it had not been the corruption, Qing could have lived on and become another Japan ngl

[@Emilechen]

Qing is founded by an ethnic minority Manchus, they can't get the support and confidence of the majority Han Chineses for long-term, so their regime can't last and survive in industrial era, the rise of Japan in modern time is due to the decline of China, so if China had also achieved the industrialization, it would be impossible for Japan to win the Sino-Japanese war, to get Korea and Taiwan, without these external territories, impossible for Japan to become a real powerhouse,

[@Sigma-xb6kn]

@@Emilechen The ethnicity of the rulers didn't matter. At all. The Mandate of Heaven is rather pragmatic in that regard... it seems like you want ethnicity to be a conflict factor in chinese rule, rather than looking at it from actual history. There was peace and stability under them as long as the material conditions were acceptable. The Qing lasted 1644-1911. Lasting almost 300 years is pretty good, especially since they lasted 100 of those in the "Century of Humiliation" without being overthrown.

[@Emilechen]

@@Sigma-xb6kn you are right in some parts, the ethnicity of the emperor of China may not matter, as long as he defend the interest of the majority of Chinese people, but the Manchu rulers, they put their own interest over the national interest, you know, to modernize the Qin Army, we will need many intellectuals, engineers and technicians, most of them will come from the ethnic Hans, meanwhile, it will threaten the domination of Manchu 8 banner armies, which prefer archery and horse riding, just like today, the Gulf monarchies's armiy is weak, because the Arabian prince have no trust to their own people of majority, so they may preder mercenaries from outside, the conclusion is, the Manchu monarchcy doesn't care and cant represent the global interest of China, even if there is some rare expect, for example Guangxu emperor who wanta to reform, he will be removed, my grandfater is Manchu... to be honest, as a Chinese, i prefer accept the failure rather than imagining how to win by hypothesis, we need to accept the failure in order to overcome our weakness, for me, i dont mind the ethnicity of the leader of China, but he must be someone who serves the majority, and not just some class, somme ethnic or some region,

[@overbored617]

@@Sigma-xb6kn that's pretty good! they lasted 300 years while this china now won't probably last 150 years if they ever try to attack taiwan

[@kevinchoi9234]

Corruption has always been China's historical problem. Look no further than Xi!

[@xHiNoTorix]

Great video! The way you poured the beer killed me inside though ;)

[@Uneikoshiki]

日本人であることを誇りに思う

[@NasimurRahaman-rc9zp]

R U hikokumuri.

[@aaronmoots2797]

“Today we have various economic models for developing countries to become wealthy. From China to the Soviet Union to Greece.” Yea, let’s all replicate the Greek model of economic prosperity!

[@lowersaxon]

Maoist China and SU? Seriously? 😅😂🎉

[@joemiller947]

The idea isn't that Greece is meant to be an ideal example of how to run an economy, but rather that Greece had a unique way of getting from where it was when it gained independence to today.

[@HistoryScope]

Greece was poor 200 years ago. Today its still one of the wealthiest countries in the world, despite all of its economic woes. Compare that to many other countries and Greece did quite well for the last century or so.

[@aaronmoots2797]

@@HistoryScope absolutely true. Greece has a rich history of success and, in the grand scheme of things, is a wealthy, prosperous nation. I was just poking fun at their current situation

[@shingosshojiopoulos6608]

The greek economy was the 2nd fastest growing economy in the world right after Japan

[@Hime519]

Japan has been apologizing to Korea for the comfort women, but Korean soldiers did so much worse; Korean soldiers raped so many women and girls in Vietnam but Korea has never apologized nor even talked about the consequences of the rape, Lai Dai Han: 라이따이한), a Vietnamese term for a racially mixed person born to a South Korean father and a Vietnamese mother, specifically during the Vietnam War, by getting raped. Korean soldiers run away and never took the responsibility of the half children. The children were discriminated in Vietnam and have never received any compensation. But Korea keeps blaming Japan for comfort women but never apologized to Vietnamese women for raping and not taking care of their children. What a terrible country.

[@yy2byyyy980]

I agree with you very much, because Japan is the most qualified country in the world, the people are honest, kind, humble, polite and enthusiastic, but South Korea and China are terrible in this regard!

[@thanhhoangnguyen4754]

​@@yy2byyyy980To be fair Korea for all of it history was the 2nd China. It got too much influence from China even greater then Vietnam. Who maintain it distance for China influence. Korea however was a different story.

[@susanthapa3970]

Agreed ❤ Japanese are much better than these koreans who always criticize Japan

[@Hime519]

@@yy2byyyy980 Thank you so much for agreeing with me. Much appreciated ❤️

[@Hime519]

@@susanthapa3970 Exactly!! I'm so glad that there are people who understand that ❤️

[@johnnydeals]

Great content

[@MRSZ5440]

This was very interesting educational historic information you never get to old to learn thanks for the upload.

[@AVNGwebdev]

*grasp* 0:48 the channel said Taiwan is a country, instant subscribe!

[@pseudotatsuya]

Korea was not Japan's colony, was an annex. Unlike western countries' colonization, Japan made universities and infrastructures in Korea. There were no slaves. The word "Comfort women" is completely wrong. Some women applied for sex workers by their own and salary was paid. Korean sex workers also worked for U.S. soldiers in Korea, but no one calls them as comfort women.

[@DeathStrikeEP]

0:59 kinda funky map (It's missing chunk of east Asia among other things). Thank you for your amazing videos

[@jon134a]

Great video. Thanks

[@kiseiryuo1071]

I think that the characteristic of Japanese people is overwhelmingly methodical. For example, the board game Go, which I use as an icon, is popular in East Asia. The game originated in China, but was developed in Japan. In Japan, there were detailed records of Go games that took place hundreds of years ago, but there were no records left in China and South Korea, so it was difficult to develop Go after the end of World War II. Only Japan could do it. However, SouthKorea is the strongest in this competition now, followed by China, and then Japan. Unfortunately, Shogi, a chess-like game, is much more popular in Japan today, and it is difficult to attract good talent for Go.

[@user-vp1xr5yh6k]

In Chinese history, written records have been used for a long time to record various things, and there is absolutely no such situation as you mentioned without written records. Only some technologies and ancient books will be stolen or destroyed during the Japanese invasion of China

[@aymanardo1322]

japan is inspiration for every country especially non-european

[@miparun]

This is a really good video to learn Japanese history for me(Japanese). Japanese people are more likely to be pessimistic, so we are currently concerned about the economic crisis and low birth rate, unthoughtful government. I'm glad to have studied Japan from a third-party perspective.

[@fabricliver]

In terms of pessimism, Italy and Japan are on the same level. We share the same fate, though: to be small but resourceful nations. Keep African and Islamic immigration out of your beautiful nation and you will have no problems. ❤

[@happy-nb9jd]

Japan took away Korea's resources.

[@earlysda]

miparun, please understand that very little in this video is actually of the real country of Japan.

[@happy-nb9jd]

@@Uribo_BFV 일본 너희들이 한국을 침략했잖아!!! 반성은 안하고 정말 뻔뻔하네. 나라에서 교육 제대로 하라고해라.

[@user-og3pq2eu7h]

@@happy-nb9jd勉強をするべきなのはあなたの方だと思います。。私たちは侵攻ではなく同意の上での併合を行いました。

[@Macro-Mates]

Really nice in-depth video on Japan and its evolution! Hopefully they do bridge the gap between their inflation and income as there has been a closing fear for the last 30 years. Looking forward to future videos!

[@George83_Thomas]

Remember my visit to Japan, had a great time. It was an excellent place for meeting Japanese people. Hope to return one day

[@stepheng3667]

I learned more in these 37 minutes than I did in 10 years of High School.

[@TokyoTaisu]

To add, growing wheat in Hokkaido was strategic as well. If you have rice, you are tending to it all year long. If you plant wheat for bread, you only tend a couple months a year. This frees up valuable labor time.