Japanese History

The Alphabet

500

Japan adopts the Chinese alphabet, and over time changes and variations will be made.

Guns

Jan 1, 1543

Portugal introduces first firearms to Japan

Japan Gains Power

Period: Jan 1, 1868 to Dec 31, 1912

Emperor Meiji builds Japan up, making it wealthy and powerful, winning wars against China and Russia.

Korea

Jan 1, 1910

Japan takes control of the entire Korean peninsula. Japan would keep hold of Korea until after the second world war.

Great Kanto Earthquake

Sep 1, 1923

The Great Kanto Earthquake, one of the worst quakes in world history, destroys Tokyo and Yokohama. More than 140,000 people are killed.

Sino-Japanese War

Jul 7, 1937

Japan goes to war with China, leading into WWII. The war ends on September 9th, 1945.

Pearl Harbor

Dec 7, 1941

Japan bombs Pearl Harbor, bringing America into WWII.

Atomic Bombings

Aug 6, 1945

America bombs Nagasaki and HIroshima, Japan with the world's first atom bombs, causing mass destruction, death, and illness.

Tōhoku Tsunami and Earthquake

Mar 11, 2011

Catastraphic earthquake and tsunami
15,891 deaths, 6,152 injured

Buddhism

Mar 2, 2022

The Korean kingdom of Paekche dispatches a delegation to introduce Buddhism to the Japanese emperor.