In the decade spanned by the two wars, Japan had forged rapidly ahead
in her economic development. Her foreign trade, which totaled only 265
million yen in 1895, had jumped to 810 million in 1905 (see chart,
page 61). Her steam shipping had shown an even more extraordinary
spurt--from 15,000 tons in 1893 to 1,552,000 tons in 1905.
[Illustration: HOW JAPAN’S FOREIGN TRADE HAS GROWN]
On the political side, the new constitution worked out pretty much as
the clan statesmen had expected. For a short time the bureaucrats had
some difficulty with the Diet, where a liberal opposition threatened
to develop. But they soon checked this tendency. They intimidated
or bought off opposition leaders. They embarked on a policy of war
and expansion--which the liberals supported. And, eventually, they
organized parties headed by members of the bureaucracy itself--in the
first instance, Prince Ito.
The Meiji Emperor died on July 30, 1912. During his long reign of
nearly 45 years, all the great changes which we have been considering
had taken place. From a weak feudal state, Japan had been transformed
into a great power. Two years after Emperor Meiji’s passing, the
outbreak of the World War ushered in a period of still more ambitious
expansion and growth.