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1894. War with China.
1895. War with China. Acquisition of Formosa.
1896. Alliance between the Government and Liberals.
Tidal wave on northeastern coast of main island.
1897. Revised tariff. Gold standard.
Freedom of press and public meeting.
1898. Revised Civil Code. First "Party Cabinet."
1899. New treaties on terms of equality—Japan wide open.
1900. Wedding of Crown Prince Haru.
Extension of electoral franchise.
War with China—Japan allied with Christendom.
General Missionary Conference, Tōkyō.
This period included wars and other calamities, but also some very fortunate events. It opened, strange to say, with the "anti-foreign reaction" at its height. This reaction was the natural result of the rapid Occidentalizing that had been going on, and was strengthened by the refusal of Western nations to revise the treaties which kept Japan in thraldom. But the period closed with "treaty revision" accomplished, and Japan admitted, on terms of equality, to alliance with Western nations.[1] And in quelling the "Boxer" disturbances in China and particularly in raising the Siege of Peking, Japan played a most important part. This period was chiefly occupied with the experimental stage in constitutional government, when the relations between the two Houses of the Diet, between the Diet and the Cabinet, between the Cabinet and political parties, were being
- ↑ See Appendix for New Treaty.