The National Mobilization Law was created with the intentions of giving the Japanese government complete and total control over public/civilian organizations (factories, labor unions) in order to fund the Sino-Japanese War. It gave the military unlimited funds and control over rationing. The law had 50 clauses. This was abolished during the 1945 American occupation.
Vocab beneath the break:
国家総動員法 こっかそうどういんほう National Mobilization Law (1938) [x] [x]
When Tokugawa Ienari (the 11th and longest-serving shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate) decided to retire, he decided that he needed to lead a life of ultimate luxury. Was he using the finances of the people?
Vocab beneath the break:
徳川 家斉 とくがわいえなり Tokugawa Ienari (the 11th and longest-serving shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate)
引退 いんたい retirement
子だくさん こだくさん many children; large family
後継者 こうけいしゃ successor
将軍 しょうぐん general; shogun
老中 ろうじゅう member of shogun's council of elders
松平 定信 まつだいらさだのぶ Matsudaira Sadanobu
組む くむ to unite; to join; to link up; to form an alliance
寛政 かんせい Kansei era (1789.1.25-1801.2.5)
改革 かいかく reform; reformation; reorganization; reform movement
行う おこなう to perform; to do; to conduct oneself; to carry out
ぜいたく luxury; extravagance; lavish; to live in luxury; to indulge oneself
生活を送る せいかつをおくる to lead (a) life (usu. preceded by the type of life)
地位 ちい (social) position; status; standing
含める ふくめる to include (in a group or scope); to include (a nuance)
贅沢三昧 ぜいたくざんまい indulging in every possible luxury
次男 じなん second son
徳川家慶 とくがわいえよし Tokugawa Ieyoshi (12th shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan; second son of Tokugawa Ienari)
譲る ゆずる to hand over; to transfer; to turn over; to assign; to convey; to bequeath; to give (e.g. one's seat)
Alongside his colleagues, Sugita Genpaku conducted autopsies on the bodies of executed individuals in order to verify that the German anatomical drawings that he viewed. Later on, he and his colleagues translated "Ontleekundige Tafelen" into Japanese and entitled the translation "Kaitai Shinsho."
小塚原刑場 こづかっぱらけいじょう Kozukappara execution grounds (one of the three sites where the Tokugawa shogunate executed criminals during the Edo period) [x]; Sugita Genpaku and his colleagues conducted dissections here
見学 けんがく inspection; study by observation; field trip; tour; review
ターヘル・アナトミア Ontleedkundige Tafelen (the Dutch book that Sugita Genpaku translated alongside his colleagues)
In 1868, the Charter Oath (also called the Oath in Five Articles) was read aloud by Sanjo Sanetomi. The Charter Oath, written by Yuri Kimimasa, was created to outline the goals, aims, and course of action that would be taken during Emperor Meiji's reign to modernize Japan.
This is often considered to be the first constitution of Japan.
Vocab beneath the break:
五箇条の御誓文 ごかじょうのごせいもん Charter Oath (of the Meiji Emperor); Five-Point Imperial Covenant; Imperial Oath of Five Articles
神々 かみがみ gods
誓う ちかう to swear; to vow; to take an oath; to pledge
この通り このとおり like this; in this way; as you see
明治新政府 めいじしんせいふ new Meiji government/administration
新政府 しんせいふ new administration; new government
条 じょう article (in a document); clause; section; provision; counter for lines
基本方針 きほんほうしん basic policy; fundamental policy; fundamental plan of action
作成 さくせい making (a report, plan, contract, etc.); drawing up; writing out; preparing; creating (a file, website, account, etc.)
木戸孝允 きど たかよし Kido Takayoshi (Japanese statesman; considered one of the three Great Nobles who led the Meiji Restoration)
最終的 さいしゅうてき final; eventual; ultimate
整える ととのえる to put in order; to arrange; to tidy up; to fix; to straighten; to get ready; to prepare; to arrange
仕上げる しあげる to finish up; to complete; to finish off; to get through; to polish off
京都御所 きょうとごしょ Kyoto Imperial Palace
正殿 せいでん alternate name for the Shishiden; Hall for State Ceremonies
紫宸殿 ししでん Shishiden one of, if not the, most important ceremonial building within the palace grounds (enthronement ceremonies of Emperor Showa and Emperor Taisho occurred in this location
行う おこなう to perform; to do; to conduct oneself; to carry out
儀式 ぎしき ceremony; rite; ritual; service
重々しい おもおもしい serious; grave; dignified; solemn
雰囲気 ふんいき atmosphere; mood; ambience; ambiance; aura; feel; a certain air; presence; special aura; something (about someone)
In 1863, the Shinsengumi was commissioned and created to protect the Tokugawa Shogunate. Originally, the Shinsengumi was referred to as the Mibu Roshigumi, however, when the goal of the group shifted from only protecting the shogunate to also patrolling and protecting the streets of Kyoto, the name was changed.
Vocab beneath the break:
浪士組 ろうしぐみ Roshigumi (a group of masterlass samurai recruited to protect the Tokguawa shogunate) [x] [also known as 浪士隊 ろうしたい]
壬生浪士組 みぶろうしぐみ Mibu Roshigumi (19 members of the original Roshigumi left the Roshigumi and formed this troop to protect the streets rather than just the shogunate); name later changed to Shinsengumi
都 みやこ capital
治安 ちあん public order; public peace; public security; law and order
守る まもる to protect; to guard
命 いのち life; life force
戦う たたかう to compete (against); to make war (on); to wage war (against); to go to war (with); to fight (with); to do battle (against)
The Sakuradamon Incident refers to the assassination of Ii Naosuke, the Tairou/Chief Minister of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Ii Naosuke was a leading figure in the reopening of Japan after 200 years of seclusion, however, this angered many people who were still espousing the Sonnō jōi rhetoric. Believers of this rhetoric didn't want foreigners or foreign influence to spread across the nation. He was especially criticized for signing the Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the United States. Ultimately, the angry sentiments directed towards him and his policies resulted in him being assassinated at the Sakuradamon Gate.
As tensions grew during the Pacific War, citizens of Japan campaigned to outlaw the use of English terminology in baseball. The sentiment was that they didn't want to use the same language that their enemies did for one of the nation's most beloved sport (gonna ignore the fact that baseball was a sport of their enemies 💀). Either way, many of these changed words eventually returned back to what they were previously called.
If you're interested in the list, check out this website: [x]
Vocab beneath the break:
野球 やきゅう baseball
用語 ようご term; terminology; phraseology; choice of words
On March 9, 1945, the United States Airforces staged a firebomb raid on Tokyo. This air-raid, referred to as the Great Tokyo Air Raid in Japan, is still considered to be the most single most destructive air attack in history.
I don't really want to go into more details about this event in particular, but if you're interested in reading more, check it out these resources to form your own opinions. [x] [x] [x] [x]
Vocab beneath the break:
東京大空襲 とうきょうだいくうしゅう Great Tokyo Air Raid (March 10, 1945); Bombing of Tokyo [x]
逃げる にげる to flee; to run away; to escape; to get away (e.g. from danger)
炎 ほのお flame; blaze
包む つつむ to cover; to envelop; to shroud; to engulf
町工場 まちこうば small factory in town; (small) backstreet workshop
住宅地 じゅうたくち housing district; residential district
建ち並ぶ たちならぶ to stand in a row (e.g. shops on a street); to line in a row; to line
下町 したまち low-lying part of a city (usu. containing shops, factories, etc.)
鳴りひびく なりひびく to reverberate; to resound; to echo
空襲警報 くうしゅうけいほう air-raid alarm
深夜 しんや late at night; midnight
焼け野原 やけのはら burnt field; burnt area
火の海 ひのうみ sea of fire; burning inferno; sea of flames
~によって because of...; due to...; GRAMMAR POINT
太平洋戦争 たいへいようせんそう Pacific War (1941-1945)
末期 まっき last years; closing years; last days; closing days; end; last stage; final stages
軍 ぐん army; troops; armed forces
戦争 せんそう war; battle
終わる おわる to end; to come to an end; to close; to finish
大規模 だいきぼ large-scale
空襲 くうしゅう air-raid; airstrike
行う おこなう to perform; to do; to conduct oneself; to carry out
爆撃機 ばくげきき bomber (aircraft)
約 やく approximately; about; around
参加 さんか participation; joining; entry
死者 ししゃ casualties; (the) deceased; (the) dead; dead person
越える こえる to exceed; to surpass; to be more (than)
被災者 ひさいしゃ victims (of disaster)
家屋 かおく house; building
~戸 ~こ [counter for houses]
焼失 しょうしつ destruction by fire; losing in a fire; being burnt down