Some people, however, still wonder if there is not a profound difference between being an economic superpower, like Japan, and a military and political superpower, like the United States and the Soviet Union. The answer probably is not nearly as much as most people think. Military superpowers tend to be muscle-bound, unable to use their vast military strength and weakened by the tremendous cost of maintaining it. The common derision of Japan as an economic giant but military midget seems largely misplaced. Under current conditions of mutual mistrust, the First World probably must possess sufficient military power to balance the Soviet Union, but maintaining the world trading system is in the long run even more important. Perhaps these two requirements should be looked on as comparable duties that should be rationally shared in the same way that free trade efficiently shares specialized economic production and tasks. Only through cooperation in the military, political, and economic spheres can the First World succeed in its task of building a successful world order.
No one can predict for certain what will happen in Japan during the nineties and on into the twenty-first century. Japan itself appears as politically stable, socially healthy, and economically prosperous as any country could hope to be, but what happens in the rest of the world is much more important in deciding the future and is far less predictable. Many entirely unexpected events may take place that will have an adverse bearing on Japan. But insofar as we can peer ahead through the fog of the future, the prospects for Japan during the last decade of the twentieth century look quite bright, and its relations with the rest of the world, particularly the First World countries, appear very hopeful.
CHRONOLOGY
(The division between years prior to 1853 is according to the Japanese lunar calendar.)
600 B.C.
Traditional date of accession of first emperor, Jimmu.
A.D. 57
First recorded Japanese mission to China.
552
(or 538) Official introduction of Buddhism from Korea.
562
Conquest of the Japanese holdings in Korea by Silla.
587–626
Dominance over the court by Soga Umako.
593–622
Prince Shotoku as crown prince.
604
Seventeen Article Constitution.
607
Revival of embassies to China.
645
Taika coup d’état and destruction of the Soga family.
663
Defeat of Japanese army in Korea.
668–672
Reign of Tenji.
669
Granting of surname Fujiwara to Nakatomi Kamatari.
673–686
Reign of Temmu.
701
Taiho Law Code.
708
First issuance of copper coinage.
710–784
NARA PERIOD
710
Founding of Heijo capital (Nara).
712
Compilation of Kojiki.
713
Compilation of Fudoki (local gazetteers).
718
Yoro revision of law code.
720
Compilation of Nihon shoki.
724–749
Reign of Shomu (d. 756).
729–749
Tempyo year period.
735–737
Great smallpox epidemic.
741
Establishment of kokubunji (provincial monasteries).
743
Legalizing of permanent possession of agricultural land.
749
Establishment of first estates (shoen).
752
Dedication of Great Buddha (Daibutsu) of Nara.
c. 760
Compilation of Man’yoshu.
764–770
Supremacy of monk Dokyo under Empress Shotoku.
781–806
Reign of Kammu.
784
Move of the capital to Nagaoka.
794–1185
HEIAN PERIOD
794
Founding of Heian capital (Kyoto).
801
Defeat of the Ainu in northern Honshu.
805
Introduction of Tendai sect by Saicho (Dengyo Daishi).
806
Introduction of Shingon sect by Kukai (Kobo Daishi).
810
Founding of Kurodo-dokoro (Bureau of Archivists).
838
Dispatch of the last embassy to China.
858–1160
FUJIWARA PERIOD
858
Fujiwara Yoshifusa as the first regent not of the imperial family.
884
Fujiwara Mototsune as the first chancellor (kampaku).
887–897
Reign of Uda.
889
Granting of the surname Taira (Heike) to Prince Takamochi, progenitor of the warrior Taira family.
891–901
Prominent role in government of Sugawara Michizane.
894
Decision to stop embassies to China.
905
Compilation of the Kokinshu.
930–949
Fujiwara Tadahira as regent and chancellor.
939–940
Revolt of Taira Masakado in the Kanto.
941
Execution of Fujiwara Sumitomo, pirate chief in the Inland Sea.
961
Granting of the surname Minamoto (Genji) to Prince Tsunemoto, progenitor of the warrior Minamoto family.
995–1027
Supremacy of Fujiwara Michinaga.
c. 1002
Writing of the Makura no soshi (Pillow Book) by Lady Sei Shonagon.
c. 1008–1020
Writing of the Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji) by Lady Murasaki.
1017–1068
Fujiwara Yorimichi as regent and chancellor.
1051–1062
Earlier Nine Years’ War: destruction of the Abe family of northern Honshu by Minamoto Yoriyoshi.
1053
Construction of the Byodoin by Yorimichi.
1068–1072
Reign of Go-Sanjo (d. 1073).
1069
Start of insei rule by retired emperors; establishment of the Kirokujo (Records Office).
1072–1086
Reign of Shirakawa.
1083–1087
Later Three Years’ War: destruction of the Kiyowara family of northern Honshu by Minamoto Yoshiie.
1086–1129
Insei rule by Shirakawa.
1129–1156
Insei of Toba.
1156
Hogen War: elimination of most leading Minamoto.
1159–1160
Heiji War: destruction of Minamoto Yoshitomo by Taira Kiyomori (d. 1181).
1160–1185
TAIRA PERIOD
1167
Kiyomori as prime minister.
1175
Founding of the Jodo (Pure Land) sect by Genku (Honen Shonin).
1180–1185
War between the Minamoto and Taira (Gempei wars).
1185
Destruction of the Taira at naval battle of Dannoura.
1185–1333
KAMAKURA PERIOD
1185
Establishment of the jito system by Minamoto Yoritomo.
1189
Execution of Yoritomo’s brother, Yoshitsune, and the destruction of the Fujiwara family of Hiraizumi in North Japan.
1190s
Establishment of the shugo system.
1191
Introduction from China of the Rinzai branch of the Zen sect by Eisai.
1192
Assumption of the title of shogun by Yoritomo.
1199
Death of Yoritomo and assumption of control by his wife Hojo Masako and her father Tokimasa.
1203
Assumption of the post of shogunal regent (shikken) by Tokimasa.
1205
Elimination of Tokimasa and the assumption of the post of shogunal regent by his son Yoshitoki.
1206
Compilation of the Shinkokinshu.
1219
Murder of the shogun Sanetomo and end of the main Minamoto line.
1221
Jokyu disturbance.
1224–1242
Hojo Yasutoki as shogunal regent.
1224
Founding of Shinshu (the True Pure Land sect) by Shinran.
1227
Introduction of the Soto branch of Zen from China by Dogen.
1232
Issuance of the Joei Shikimoku (Kamakura law code).
1253
Founding of the Lotus or Nichiren sect by Nichiren.
1274
First Mongol invasion.
1281
Second Mongol invasion.
1297
Tokusei, or the cancellation of warrior debts.
1331
Revolt and deposition of Go-Daigo.
1333
Espousal of Go-Daigo’s cause by the Kamakura general, Ashikaga Takauji; destruction of the Hojo at Kamakura by Nitta Yoshisada.
1336
Enthronement of a rival emperor by Takauji and flight of Go-Daigo to Yoshino.
1336–1392
YOSHINO PERIOD (or PERIOD OF THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN COURTS)
1338
Assumption of the title of shogun by Takauji.
1338–1573
ASHIKAGA (or MUROMACHI) PERIOD
1339
Writing of the Jinno shotoki by Kitabatake Chikafusa.
1368–1394
Shogunate of Yoshimitsu (d. 1408).
1384
Death of Kan’ami, developer of the Nō drama.
1392
Reunion of the northern and southern courts.
1397
Building of the Kinkakuji by Yoshimitsu.
1404
Start of tally trade with China (continued until 1547).
1439
Compilation of the last of the twenty-one imperial anthologies of poetry.
1441
Assassination of the shogun, Yoshinori.
1443
Death of Zeami, perfecter of the Nō drama.
1449
(or 1443)–1473 Shogunate of Yoshimasa (d. 1490).
1467–1568
PERIOD OF THE WARRING STATES
1467–1477
Onin wars.
1483
Construction of the Ginkakuji by Yoshimasa.
1488
Seizure of power in the provinces of Kaga and Echizen by members of the Shinshu sect.
1506
Death of the painter-monk Sesshu.
1543
(or 1542) Arrival of the Portuguese at Tanegashima and the introduction of firearms.
1549
Arrival of St. Francis Xavier in Kyushu and the start of the Christian missionary movement by the Jesuits.
1557
Destruction of the Ouchi family by Mori Motonari.
1568–1600
PERIOD OF NATIONAL REUNIFICATION
1568
Seizure of Kyoto by Oda Nobunaga.
1571
Start of Nagasaki as the main port of foreign trade; destruction by Nobunaga of the military might of the Enryakuji on Mt. Hiei.
1573
End of the Ashikaga shogunate.
1576
Transfer of Nobunaga to Azuchi castle on Lake Biwa.
1578
Conversion of Otomo Yoshishige (Sorin) of North Kyushu, the first great daimyo to become a Christian.
1580
Surrender of Osaka castle by the Shinshu sect to Nobunaga.
1582
Assassination of Nobunaga; start of cadastral surveys by Hideyoshi.
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1583
Reconstruction of Osaka castle by Hideyoshi.
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