The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-11-17
The New Japan.
By d. j. M

Paper ReadBefore the Chd,ttduqua Circle.
Japan, during the past half Gen.
tury, has been confronted with alb
rupt changes in almost all her social
affairs, and she is still undergoing
changes. In comparing Old Japan
as it existed in the middle of the
10Th century and the New Japan of
the present day, one cannot help
marveling at the suddenness of the
change. The social organization of
centuries has been transformed, and
now present a wholly new appear
ance.
At the present time the social
class system, founded on the history
of many hundred years, has been
radically overtbrown. A body COM
posed of over 10000 Samurai. who
had hitherto held great influence in
society as a military caste, lost their
special privileges, service was hence
forth to be shared equally by the
whole nation, and the system of
compulsory national service has
been put into operation. Together
| with the abolition of the special
privileges granted to the Samurai,
the principle of equality throughout
the nation has been adopted, and
those engaged in agriculture, indus
try, and commerce now enjoy equal
rights. The power to acquire
knowledge, advanced intelligence
. and ability. together with the art of
military and civil administration,
/ were limited to small circle of the
feudal Samurai. But the benefits
of education are now extended to
the whole nation, who are thus en-
abled to participate equally therein
throughout the country, whether
they be rich or poor, high or low.
4 By enforcing a system of compul-
sorry education, every person through
the land must now receive rational
instructions.
| With respect to religious beliefs
Buddhism was the prevailing, and
was the state religion during the
feudal period of Old Japan. Con.
fucianism had also great influence
on the popular mind. Occidental
Christianity was strictly prohibited
and there was no liberty of religious
. opinion. But with the restoration
of the imperial administration th'
!. old customs were broken down, an(
full liberty of religious conviction
were granted to all alike. Witt
, the appearance of New Japan, ney
ideas derived from occidental civil
ization were introduced, and thes
have exercised a powerful infuenc
: on the national thought. Old intel
tectual and moral ideas have bee
gradually modified and there is
! growing tendency towards new as
poets of thought and feeling.
The disjointed feudal system un
der which Japan formerly existe
has been altered at one bound to
uniform national organization. Th
new administration advanced fro1
: the exercise of despotic and crue
power to a constitutional govern
= ment. The judi cial departmer
: formally based upon the arbitrar
:. application of the unwritten law
: are now governed by legal code
= Especially are the rights and obligs
= tions of the nation clearly define
= by the constitution, while secnrlt
= of life and property is fully guar
anteed.
: Moreover, since liberty in tn
: choice of trades was. generally d.
sired, the old state of industry an
commerce has been greatly altere'
New modes of livelihood have arisel
t. many of the old occupations ha,
ID disappeared
IN New trades have sprung up OF
ID of the contract with new Civilization
e. new enterprises have been deve
Ia oped, and in the country itself Il
a change has been almost revolutioi
re ary. Similar changes have becon
a apparent in the daily life of Il
people, in religion and morality,