2026 (Current Year) Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses

History B

Academic unit or major: Humanities and social science courses
Instructor(s): Wentao Zhou
Class Format: Lecture (Face-to-face)
Media-enhanced courses: -
Day of week/Period (Classrooms): 1-2 Mon (M-356(H132)) / 1-2 Thu (M-356(H132))
Class: -
Course Code: LAH.H205
Number of credits: 200
Course offered: 2026
Offered quarter: 2Q
Syllabus updated: Mar 5, 2026
Language: Japanese

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

This course aims to study the political and diplomatic history from 1908 to 1945 of Japan. Firstly, students should understand the process by which modern Japan, having become a major power after the Russo-Japanese War, moved toward its collapse by studying basic historical knowledge. Moreover, students are expected to provide original historical interpretations of the reasons behind Japan’s collapse. In addition, students will acquire basic methods through writing a report.

Course description and aims

①Gain an understanding of basic historical developments of the period in question.
②Take an overview of the modern Japanese political and diplomatic history, critically and independently evaluate it, and identify its practical implications.

Keywords

Modern Japanese history, political-diplomatic history, political parties, the Japanese Army

Competencies

Specialist skills
Intercultural skills
Communication skills
Critical thinking skills
Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

Lecture-style with PPT slides. At the end of each class, students are required to submit reaction papers that include their questions, feedback, and opinions about the lecture. As for important questions, the lecturer will provide additional explanations and answers to these reactions at the beginning of the next class. In addition, time will be allocated for discussion if time permits.

Course schedule/Objectives

	Course schedule	Objectives
Class 1	Introduction:	Explain the course description, reference books, important notes in attendance and assessment criteria.
Class 2	Pre-histoy1: From Bakumatsu to Morden Japan	Follow the process from the signature of “unequal treaties”, through the Meiji restoration, to the establishment of Morden Japan. And examine the inner workings of the Meiji constitution.
Class 3	Pre-histoy2: The Nature of Domestic Politics from the opening of the Imperial Diet to Russo-Japanese War	Analyze the features of the domestic politics through exploring the relationship between the domain cliques and parties from the opening of the Imperial Diet to just before the Russo-Japanese War（1890-1904）.
Class 4	Pre-history3: The Diplomacy and Wars in Meiji Era	Grasp the overall picture of diplomacy in Meiji era by tracing the process of the treaty revisions, the First Sino-Japanese War (the Jiawu War) and Russo-Japanese War.
Class 5	The Domestic Politics and Diplomacy Immediately after The Russo-Japanese War	Examine the features of politics in the Katsura-Saionji era, during which the tensions between domain cliques and parties were easing, and the change of Japanese diplomacy by analyzing the relationｓ with Russia, Britain, and the United States during this period.
Class 6	World War I and Japan	Investigate the diplomatic initiatives of Japan around in the period around World War I.
Class 7	The Period of Party Cabinets	Explore the full-fledged party cabinet system from its establishment to the collapse, while discussing the policy similarities and differences between the two major parties.
Class 8	Rise of the Military	Explore how the military (especially the Army) became the most powerful force political force by investigating the unauthorized military action beginning with the Mukden Incident (Known in China as the September 18 incident)　and a series of coups.
Class 9	The diplomacy and domestic politics after the Second Sino-Japanese War	Examine the expansion of the Second Sino-Japanese War and the outbreak of the Japan-U.S. War broke out, while focusing on the policy initiatives taken by three Konoe cabinets. in addition, discuss the activities of political parties during this period.
Class 10	The Collapse of the Japanese Empire	Trace the course of the Japan–U.S. War and the process of Japanese surrender.
Class 11	Special topics①：The Japanese Army as an Organization	Explain the possible causes of dysfunction in internal control within the Japanese Army, which can be regarded as a principal actor in the collapse of the Japanese Empire.
Class 12	Special topics②：Japanese Colonial Governance	Examine the Japanese colonial governance in Northeastern China (Manchuria)　after the Russo-Japanese War, exploring its practices and the legacy it left behind.
Class 13	science and technology③: Science and Technology in Relation to Politics	Explore the development of science and technology in modern Japan and consider their relations with politics and war.
Class 14	Summary	Provide an overview of the course content, answer the questions from students.
Class 15	End-of-term exam	An essay-style examination will be conducted.The use of reference books and course materials will be permitted during the examination.

Study advice (preparation and review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to prepare for class and review class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class as appropriate.
They should do so by referring to reference books and other course material.

Textbook(s)

No textbook

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Reference Books on the entire course are as follows (no need to purchase)
1.Shinichi Kitaoka,A political History of Modern Japan: Foreign Relations and Domestic Politics,enlarged ed.Tokyo: Yuhikaku, 2011.
2. Kaoru Iokibe and Sochi Naraoka, Nikon Seiji Gaikō Shi [Political and Diplomatic History of Japan], Tokyo: Hōsō Daigaku Kyōiku Shuppankai, 2019

Evaluation methods and criteria

reaction papers(50%),and End-of-term exam (50%)

Related courses

LAH.H105 ： History A
LAH.H305 ： History C
LAH.S414 ： Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences14:History

Prerequisites

None