Japan vs. Joseon (the 1800s)
In 1910, the Empire of Japan colonized the Korean dynasty of Joseon. However, these 2 countries are quite different. Joseon stayed the same. The problem with many Asian kingdoms was that they weren’t developing. They would not change the laws about foreign affairs nor accept any new technology from the West. Just like the other Asian kingdoms, Joseon stayed the same. It was only the Shinmiyangyo (1871) that Joseon opened their ports for foreigners. However, they ould still not modernize, or not faster enough.
While other Asian kingdoms not modernize, the Japanese government was smart. It was them (the Japanese) who were first confronted with the might of modernization, Mattew Perry’s fleet.
Perry’s Black Ship
Back then the Japanese navy wasn’t more than men on canoe. After seeing the outside world ( Japan had a strict no foreigner law), they knew, they need to modernize, and fast. In less than 50 years, Japan took 200 years of western modernization. The effect of this modernization was simply epic. Especially after the war against Russia (The Russo-Japanese war), Japan became a world power. However, this fast modernization had a price for the Japanese government.
This fast modernization couldn’t happen if the current government still in place. So, the current political idea of military government needed to end, also with the Samurais. This was one thing that Joseon couldn’t accomplish, getting rid of their highest social rank. I believe this is the biggest reason why Japan succeded while Joseon couldn’t, making it easier for the Japanese to sweep most of East Asia during WWII.
