Japan
The historical development and evolution of warfare in Japan are as old as
Japanese civilization itself, over the centuries making warfare in Japan a
distinct culture that significantly contributed to the shaping of Japanese so-
ciety. The importance of martial traditions in Japan cannot be overstated,
as warfare has always been an integral aspect of and deeply embedded in
Japan’s polity, society, and culture. Warfare was the practical method taken
by powerful local magnates of ancient Japan to consolidate power, eventu-
ally leading to the emergence of a dominant lineage and the establishment
of the imperial dynasty. Later, during the medieval period, warfare spread
in many provinces, dividing Japan into autonomous domains, and in the
early modern period it was used to unify Japan. Warfare also brought to an
end seven hundred years of warrior dominance, toppling the Tokugawa
bakufu(military government) and restoring military powers to the em-
peror. After Japan entered the modern period, the martial culture that had
become so embedded in the Japanese mind contributed to the rise of mili-
tarism, which eventually developed into imperialism and military con-
frontations with other Asian nations and the West.
Centuries of warfare and warrior dominance also eventually produced
well-systematized martial disciplines. In that respect, warfare in the form of
cultivated martial traditions is still very much a part of Japanese culture,
continuously influencing Japanese life. In this sense, warfare has never dis-
appeared in present-day Japan; rather, it is contained within the larger con-
text of Japan’s cultural heritage.
Warfare and Geography
The development of Japan’s martial culture and traditions is intricately in-
tertwined with Japan’s geographical setting and sociodemographic distri-
bution. Being an island nation only a short distance from the Korean penin-
sula created a sense of isolation and at the same time allowed for
continuous contacts with the continent. Indeed, the contact with Korea and
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