# Empire of Japan

| Empire of Japan* 大日本帝國
* *Dai Nippon Teikoku* or *Dai Nihon Teikoku*
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| 1868–1947 |
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Flag

 Imperial Seal

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| **Motto: 1868–1912: 五箇条の御誓文 *Gokajō no Goseimon* (*Charter Oath* or *The Oath in Five Articles*)
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| **Anthem:** (1869–1945) "Kimigayo" (君が代)"His Imperial Majesty's Reign" Duration: 1 minute and 31 seconds.1:31noicon |
| The Empire of Japan at its peak in 1942:

* Japan
* Colonies (Korea, Taiwan, Karafuto) / Mandates
* Puppet states / Protectorates / Occupied territories
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| Capital | * Kyoto (1868–1869)
* Tokyo City (1869–1943)
* Tokyo (1943–1947)
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| Largest city | * Tokyo City (1868–1943)
* Tokyo (1943–1947)
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| Official languages | Japanese |
| Recognised regional languages | * Hokkien
* Mandarin
* Hakka
* Korean
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| Religion  | * *De jure:* Secular state
* *De facto:* State Shinto (state ideology)
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| Government | Unitary parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy (1889–1947) (*de jure*) Unitary divine theocratic absolute monarchy (*de facto*)
* under Daijō-kan (1868–1885)
* under a Toseiha military dictatorship (1931–1940)
* under a fascist Shōwa Statist totalitarian military dictatorship (1940–1945)
* under military occupation (1945–1947)
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| Emperor |   |
|  |
| • 1868–1912  | Meiji |
| • 1912–1926  | Taishō |
| • 1926–1947  | Shōwa |
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| Prime Minister |   |
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| • 1885–1888 (first)  | Itō Hirobumi |
| • 1946–1947 (last)  | Shigeru Yoshida |
|  |
| Legislature | None (rule by decree) (1868-1871) House of Peers (1871-1889) Imperial Diet (since 1889) |
| • Upper house | House of Peers (1889-1947) |
| • Lower house | House of Representatives (from 1890) |
| Historical era | Meiji • Taishō • Shōwa |
|  |
| • Meiji Restoration  | 3 January 1868 |
| • Meiji Constitution  | 11 February 1889 |
| • First Sino-Japanese War  | 25 July 1894 |
| • Russo-Japanese War  | 8 February 1904 |
| • World War I  | 23 August 1914 |
| • Mukden Incident  | 18 September 1931 |
| • Second Sino-Japanese War | 7 July 1937 |
| • World War II  | 7 December 1941 |
| • Surrender of Japan  | 2 September 1945 |
| • Reconstituted  | 3 May 1947 |
|  |
| Area |
| 1938 | 1,984,000 km2 (766,000 sq mi) |
| 1942 | 7,400,000 km2 (2,900,000 sq mi) |
| Population |
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| • 1920  | 77,700,000a |
| • 1940  | 105,200,000b |
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| Currency | * Japanese yen
* Korean yen
* Taiwanese yen
* Japanese military currency
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| **Preceded by** | **Succeeded by** |
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|  |  |
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|  | Tokugawa shogunate |
|  | Ezo Republic |

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| Occupied Japan |  |

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| 1. 56.0 million lived in Japan proper.
2. 73.1 million lived in Japan proper.
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The **Empire of Japan** (Japanese : 大日本帝國) also known as **Imperial Japan** was a historical Nation State and great power during the period from the Meiji Restoration to the Japanese defeat in World War II. It ruled the Home Islands of Japan and many other areas. The Emperors during this time, were- Emperor Meiji (Mutsuhito), from 1868-1912, Emperor Taishō (Yoshihito) from 1912-1926 and Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) from 1926-1989. It is considered to go from the year 1868 to 1945. Hirohito was still emperor of Japan after the empire dissolved in 1947. Hirohito was emperor of Japan until his death in 1989.

In those years, Japan changed greatly. It became one of the great powers of the world. Japan built a powerful Imperial Japanese Armed Forces (IJA and IJN), and changed from an agricultural to an industrial society. The Japanese began to invade and occupy other near countries like Korea, Taiwan, Manchukuo and part of China to get natural resources.

The Empire of Japan surrendered to the Allies on September 2, 1945, after a long war against the Allied nations of World War II ending with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Allies occupied the country and made many changes, including a new constitution. Allied occupation and reconstruction of the country continued well into the 1950s.

## Other websites

* Imperial Japan Archived 2007-04-09 at the Wayback Machine
* Death of the Father: Hirohito & Imperial Japan

Notes