Empire of Japan: Map & History
The Empire of Japan , also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the period of Japanese history spanning 79 years, starting with the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868, and ending with ratification of the Constitution of Japan on 3 May 1947.
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The Empire of Japan , also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the period of Japanese history spanning 79 years, starting with the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868, and ending with ratification of the Constitution of Japan on 3 May 1947. From August 1910 to September 1945, it included mainland Japan, Okinawa, the Kurils, Karafuto, Korea, and Taiwan. The South Seas Mandate and concessions were de jure not internal parts of the empire but dependent territories. In the closing stages of World War II, with Japan defeated alongside the rest of the Axis powers, the formalized surrender was issued on 2 September 1945, in compliance with the Potsdam Declaration of the Allies, and the empire's territory subsequently shrunk to cover only mainland Japan. However, Okinawa was later returned to Japan in 1972.
Modern Countries Once Part of Empire of Japan
At its mapped extent, Empire of Japan covered territory in 21 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- North Korea1911–1945 CE · nearly all
- Cambodia1945 CE · nearly all
- Solomon Islands1943–1945 CE · nearly all
- Brunei1942–1945 CE · nearly all
- Micronesia1915–1943 CE · nearly all
- Guam1942–1943 CE · nearly all
- Hong Kong S.A.R.1942–1945 CE · nearly all
- Macau S.A.R1944–1945 CE · nearly all
- Timor-Leste1943–1945 CE · nearly all
- Vietnam1941–1945 CE · nearly all
- Malaysia1942–1945 CE · nearly all
- South Korea1911–1945 CE · nearly all
- Japan1868–1945 CE · most
- Laos1945 CE · most
- Philippines1942–1945 CE · most
- Myanmar1943–1944 CE · most
- Taiwan1895–1945 CE · most
- Indonesia1942–1945 CE · most
- China1915–1945 CE · a large part
- Papua New Guinea1943 CE · a small part
- Russia1870–1945 CE · a small part
States and Provinces
- Heilongjiang, China
- Nei Mongol, China
- Jilin, China
- Shandong, China
- Liaoning, China
- Hebei, China
- Jiangsu, China
- Sakhalin, Russia
- Fujian, China
- Shanxi, China
- Anhui, China
- Guangdong, China
- Henan, China
- Jawa Timur, Indonesia
- Zhejiang, China
- Hokkaido, Japan
- Jawa Tengah, Indonesia
- Hubei, China
- Sumatera Utara, Indonesia
- Ayeyarwady, Myanmar
- Bago, Myanmar
- Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
- Hamgyong-bukto, North Korea
- Jawa Barat, Indonesia
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Empire of Japan's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Empire of Japan in Depth
History
After two centuries, the seclusion policy, or sakoku, under the shōguns of the Edo period came to an end when the country was forced open to trade by the Convention of Kanagawa which came when American commander Matthew C. Perry arrived in Japan in 1854. Thus, the period known as Bakumatsu began.
The following years saw increased foreign trade and interaction; commercial treaties between the Tokugawa shogunate and Western countries were signed. In large part due to the humiliating terms of these unequal treaties, the shogunate soon faced internal hostility, which materialized into a radical, xenophobic movement, the sonnō jōi (literally "Revere the Emperor, expel the barbarians").
In March 1863, the Emperor issued the "order to expel barbarians."
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Empire of Japan (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Empire of Japan: Key Facts
| Capital | Tokyo |
|---|---|
| Official language | Japanese |
| Religion | State Shinto |
| Form of government | monarchy, constitutional monarchy |
| Currency | yen |
| Founded | 3 January 1868 |
| Dissolved | 3 May 1947 |
Preceded by
Succeeded by
- Japan
Facts from Wikidata Q188712 (CC0).
Interactive map
Empire of Japan on the World War I map →
See Empire of Japan’s territory change day by day from 23 August 1914, with every battle it fought.
Interactive map
Empire of Japan on the World War II map →
See Empire of Japan’s territory change day by day from 1 September 1939, with every battle it fought.
Empire of Japan Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Empire of Japan appears, with the other states of the time.
Empire of Japan Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 7,043,849 km² in 1943 CE.
Empire of Japan: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Empire of Japan exist?
The Empire of Japan is dated to 1868 CE – 1945 CE, in the Industrial era.
What was the capital of the Empire of Japan?
The capital of the Empire of Japan was Kyoto (1868–1869), Tokyo (1869–1947).
How large was the Empire of Japan at its peak?
At its peak in 1943 the Empire of Japan covered about 7,043,849 km².
How did the map of the Empire of Japan change over time?
The Empire of Japan appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1900 CE to 1945 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Other Sovereign Realms
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Industrial Era • Capital: London
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore, Delhi
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Raigad