To anonymous poster[]
Several reason I reverted the changes
- Expansion into Hokkaido (which actually means "North Sea Circuit", not "Northern Territory") and the Kurils preceded the POD (the border between Russia and Japan north of Etorofu/Iturup was drawn in 1855).
- No such thing as "Honshu Islands". Honshu is the name of the largest island, a singular
- Acquisition of Sakhalin (Karafuto) is mentioned in the history page after the Russian Civil War, no need to mention it on the summary index page.
- As I have no intention of writing an article on Seward's assassin, there is no need to make a link to him
Nik 23:39, 29 Jul 2005 (UTC)
To Nik[]
- Some understanding of the fragility of treaties drawn up in this time period would be helpful here. You would be surprised at how often they were formally "denounced" or simply ignored.
- Some material on the deeper politics of early and later Japanese expansion would also be helpful. What exactly are your Japanese using to buy Alaska in this alternative history?
- The offending 's' attached to Honshu was a typo. Rather obviously. kedo gomen nasai!
Hmmm ... you've brought up some good points. I'll have to think about it Nik 03:45, 29 Aug 2005 (UTC)
To Nik[]
Look at the kanji for Hokkaido again please.
- What about them? North-Sea-Road/Way/Path, commonly translated "circuit" in political contexts Nik 18:47, 30 Aug 2005 (UTC)
- Where are you getting this translation?
- Where are you getting yours? 北海道 [北] = north [海] = sea [道] = route/way/road. Look here Wikipedia:Hokkaido, or look in any Kanji dictionary. I was a little off on the "circuit" translation. The character is translated Circuit in Chinese contexts, but Route in Japanese (Wikipedia:Circuit_(political_division)#Circuits_in_East_Asia). Nik 03:02, 31 Aug 2005 (UTC)
Material moved from article[]
This really belongs in the talk page, not the main page
The deep politics and geo-political trajectory of Japanese expansion are evident in the early expansion of the Japanese into territories in the North Pacific beyond the island of Honshu Island. This began in Hokkaido, which may be translated as "Northern Territory," in the mid-1500s. Exploration and trade later extended to include the Kuriles and Sakhalin. For Japan to have purchased Alaska from Russia, it would have to have acquired sufficient gold or international currency reserves. That could not have happened until after the political consolidation of the Meiji Restoration. Note that the Japanese currency was not stabilized until the deflation of the 1880s and high rates of economic growth did not occur until the 1890s.
References[]
- Richard Connaughton. 2003. Rising Sun and Tumbling Bear: Russia's War with Japan. London: Cassell. ISBN 0304366579.
- Conrad Totman. 2000. A History of Japan. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 063121447X. Pp. 219-220, 303-306.