ABSTRACT

Japan’s industrial revolution began to take shape in the 1870s. A host of developments ushered in the new phase, some of them familiar echoes of earlier industrialization processes, others reflecting a distinctive national signature. As in Germany and Russia, railroad building both symbolized and caused a more general pattern of rapid industrial growth. The story of early Japanese railroads suggests some of the patterns involved in later industrial revolutions, including the immense constraints of early initiatives. Japan was in many ways an unlikely candidate for a quick response to the new industrial challenge of western Europe and the United States. The nation faced many problems in trying to comprehend the West, as it began to realize that some imitation of Western ways was essential. Many features of Japan’s industrial revolution persisted into later decades, including the balance between light and heavy industry, the importance of government involvement, strong but group-oriented management, and the lack of consistent or vigorous labor protest.