Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
13305:[2025 Fall]IR18‐GE206 Modern Japanese History (R) § 13306:RUIR-2617 Modern Japanese History(R) 2025 Fall Tue1 College　Of　International　Relations MILNE DANIEL JEROME 2

Campus

KIC

Class Venue

KOSHINKAN　KS203

Language

英語

Course Outline and Method

【+R-Jugyo】
Information for “+R-Jugyo” will be posted on the “Course News” on manaba+R by September 20. Be sure to check the “Course News” on manaba+R.

This course traces Japan’s transformation from the collapse of the Tokugawa shogunate through its emergence as a modern nation-state, imperial power, and postwar democracy, to its contemporary struggles with globalization, memory, and identity. We will explore major turning points including the Bakumatsu and Meiji Restoration, the politics and culture of the Taishō and early Shōwa eras, the Asia-Pacific War and its propaganda, the American Occupation, and the era of rapid economic growth. Later weeks examine Japan’s “lost decades,” environmental and social challenges, and questions of gender and minority experience. Along the way, we will also consider film, music, and the city of Kyoto as windows into Japanese modernity.

Keywords:
Japan, modernity, monarchy, gender, minorities, equality, nationalism, imperialism, war, development, democracy, Kyoto

Student Attainment Objectives

Primary Aims:
Students will gain knowledge of the major events of and interpretations of modern Japanese history. Within this, there will be some emphasis on local Kyoto history. Students will also broaden their understanding of the political history of Japan in the late 19th and 20th centuries and the impact this has on contemporary Japan.

Secondary Aims:
Students will further develop their skills of critical analysis by making sense of the issues through the various conceptual frameworks employed in the module. The teaching methods of the module are designed to develop cognitive, writing and discussion skills, in particular:

• Source and document criticism / analysis
• Participation in group discussions
• Researching topics via the creative use of library and internet sources
• Writing scholarly essays
• Academic presentation

Recommended Preparatory Course

Course Schedule

Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) Theme
Keyword, References and Supplementary Information
1

Class Introduction (On demand)

Introduction, syllabus

1

Class Introduction (On demand)

A brief intro to early modern Japan

2

Bakumatsu (1854-1868)

Gunboat diplomacy, Extraterritoriality, Boshin War, unequal treaties, Meiji ishin, Kyoto

3

Meiji 1868-1912 (On Demand)

Modernisation, industrialisation, imperialism, railways, Korea, First Sino-Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War.

4

Taishō (1912-1926) and Early Shōwa (1926-1936)

Anglo-Japanese alliance, First World War, Rivalry, Social and Political change, imperialism

5

War in Asia-Pacific 1937-1945, War Propaganda

Second Sino-Japanese War, Pacific War, Greater East Asian War, Total conflict, mobilisation, imperialism, propaganda

6

Occupation

Occupation, Korea war

7

Era of High-Speed Growth 1950s-1970s

ANPO, economic development

8

Film and Japanese Modern History

Popular culture, social issues

9

Boom, Bust, and Disaster 1980s-2010s (On Demand)

Bubble economy, 'lost decade', recession

10

Gender, Minorities, Environment

Women, Buraku, Koreans, Indigenous minorities

11

Modern Music and Kyoto

Rebellion, art, student movement

12

Student Presentations of essays

13

 Japanese Modern History via Kyoto (On demand)

Kyoto, Emperor, modernization, technology

14

In class exam

Exam will include the long essay and some shorter writing pieces based on readings each weeks. See the class handout for more.

Class Format

I will conduct media-based (on demand) class for Lecture 1 (Class Intro) and, in order to make best use of online materials, for Lectures 3, 9, 13. Remaining classes will be conducted face-to-face.

Recommendations for Private Study

Make sure you have some knowledge of the APA style of referencing before the course begins.

Grade Evaluation Method

Kind Percentage Grading Criteria etc.
Final Examination (Written)

Report Examination
(A report to be submitted by the unified deadline)

Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment　
(Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class)		 100

 
20% student presentation

50% one 1,500-word essay

30% In class contributions / assignments
 

Grade Evaluation Method （Note）

Weekly attendance is required as is active engagement with class discussion and activities which itself requires students to do weekly assigned reading.

This class will involve a lot of in-class discussion based on readings. Be prepared to both read academic readings each week and to discuss your ideas and knowledge.

The essay will be due in week 13 and must be over 1,500 words. Plagiarised essays and those lacking appropriate academic sources will not be accepted.

In class contribution will be measured by weekly discussion sheets filled out by students based on readings and lectures, and by participation in classroom discussion.

Students will present their essay topics in the last few weeks of the semester. Presentations must be well prepared and engaging for other students and the teacher.

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

All essays must be written in the APA style. See the online OWL guide to APA referencing by Purdue University. Plagiarised essays or those not written by students, as well as those lacking academic sources (journal articles and books) will not be accepted.

Class participation score will take into account the following:

- Answers on weekly discussion sheets
- Classroom discussion
- Attendance in class

Textbooks

Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）

Reference Books

Title Author Publisher ISBN Code Comment
A Modern History of Japan /日本の200年 Andrew Gordon Oxford University Press/みすず書房

Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）

Web Pages for Reference

How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)

Other (Separate instructions will be provided)

Other Comments

The essay will likely be less than 1,500 words as it will be written by hand in an in-class exam. Details to be explained in week 1.

Please inform me of any absences due to ill health etc prior to class. For this and all other non-urgent communication my email address is as follows:
kyodaidaniel@gmail.com

【科目ナンバリング・カリキュラムマップはこちらから/Click here to see the Curriculum-Map and Course-Numbering】
URL:http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp//students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html
【科目ナンバリング・カリキュラムマップはこちらから/Click here to see the Curriculum-Map and Course-Numbering】
URL:https://secure.ritsumei.ac.jp/students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html/