is a trend or ideology in Japan that seeks to introduce various European institutions or cultures to advance

modernization Modernization theory or modernisation theory holds that as societies become more economically modernized, wealthier and more educated, their political institutions become increasingly liberal democratic and rationalist. The "classical" theories ...

Description

This policy was adopted by the

Meiji government The was the government that was formed by politicians of the Satsuma Domain and Chōshū Domain in the 1860s. The Meiji government was the early government of the Empire of Japan. Politicians of the Meiji government were known as the Meiji ...

in the

1880s The 1880s (pronounced "eighteen-eighties") was the decade that began on January 1, 1880, and ended on December 31, 1889. The period was characterized in general by economic growth and prosperity in many parts of the world, especially Europe and ...

to acknowledge the modernization of Japan in the European and American empires by using culture, institutions, customs, and customs as European styles. ''Ōka shugi'' policy was also intended to revise the

unequal treaties The unequal treaties were a series of agreements made between Asian countries—most notably Qing China, Tokugawa Japan and Joseon Korea—and Western countries—most notably the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, the Unit ...

signed by Japan with Western powers, including

Ansei Treaties The Ansei Treaties (Japanese: 安政条約) or the Ansei Five-Power Treaties (Japanese: 安政五カ国条約) are a series of treaties signed in 1858, during the Japanese Ansei era, between Japan on the one side, and the United States, Great B ...

, and by making Japan's politics and culture European, Japan was recognized as a member of 'civilized countries' subject to

international law International law, also known as public international law and the law of nations, is the set of Rule of law, rules, norms, Customary law, legal customs and standards that State (polity), states and other actors feel an obligation to, and generall ...

. During the

Meiji era The was an Japanese era name, era of History of Japan, Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feu ...

, the two ideologies ''Oka shugi'' and '' Kokusui shugi'' were at odds culturally.

References

{{Japan-stub Cultural history of Japan Foreign relations of the Empire of Japan Japanese foreign policy

Description

See also

References