The early Meiji years were a crucial time for the fragile new government, but the young government’s ambitious officials wasted no time in building the infrastructure that laid the foundation for independent (public) contributions to Meiji modernization.
These public contributions were quite significant and varied. One of the most notable of these additions was the planning and construction of the railway from Yokohama to Tokyo, and from Osaka to Kobe. The Yokohama line was completed and opened in 1872 with great ceremony by the Emperor himself. The Osaka line followed several years later in 1877. 1889 saw the opening of the Tokaido Trunk line, a major railway line running along the old Sankin Kotai route. This major new line allowed for ideal travel past all the old back towns that started modernization in Tokugawa Japan.
Before the lines of Yokohama were even opened, the government had begun to venture something else; telegraph office from Tokyo to Yokohama. The ministry began in 1870, and later expanded to other states within a short period of time. The first telegraph lines were completed surprisingly quickly as they were ordered, built, and all completed within the same year. A year later he would see post offices opened on the Tokaido Road. The government established a postal system, and established services to send letters and money orders to residents of Tokaido stations and major cities. . In 1872, the year after the postal system was in full effect, the new Meiji government created a national ad bank to De currency the national “yen” which was established in 1871 The creation of a national currency and national bans to negotiate began the effort to develop the various different currencies that had been exchanged up to that point.
The last of the early Meiji contributions was the establishment of the telephone system in 1890. The first telephone line ran between Tokyo and Yokohama; however, by 1900 there was telephone service in at least 50 states across the country (McClain, 2002).
Contributions, although already present in the West, were very important for the purpose of modernization of Japan and the bonds of alliance with the West were shaken. The infrastructure is put in place for business and entrepreneurial ventures to flourish. With more resources available, businesses could more easily collaborate and expand. This meant economic growth for all of Japan. Such an infrastructure, as previously stated, adds to the confidence of the state and the republic. At the same time, it sent a signal to the West about Japan’s development and inclusion in the international arena.
Without government management of economic growth, it is highly unlikely that Japan could have achieved the same level of modernization. It is impossible that the State should have taken the steps in economic involvement that they did; and it is unlikely that, as they did, the business could grow and flourish. While economic growth can be attributed to private enterprise, it was government involvement that laid the foundation for that level of growth and involvement.
McClain, J. (2002). Japan: Modern History. Norton and Company, Inc. New York, NY.
