Isolation policy/world civilization - Essay Example

Both China and Japan have a long history, where the countrys isolation periods alternate with periods of active relations with the outside world. Meanwhile, China has always been more open to integration into the world community. In the past, being aimed at creating a giant colonial empire subordinate to Japan, the Japanese announced their desire for "East Asian Co-Prosperity." It united hostile to each other Japan and China on the basis of the isolation policy (policy aimed at the isolation of the country in domestic and international matters) led by this countries.

Japan and China in the past have always tend to separation on the basis of the geographical location, cultural and religious differences. Geographically isolated Japan didnt need products import and it could exist for a long time in isolation from the outside world. The first Europeans who reached Japan were the Portuguese. In 1614, the Japanese government, instigated by Buddhist forces within the country and Protestant advisers from the outside, has banned the preaching and practice of Christianity in the country.

In1522, the Emperor led the isolation policy for fear of spies and dangerous unions from abroad. Therefore, a trade that would improve the economic situation in the country remained under the ban, resulting in the fact that eastern coast of the country suffered from the raids of Japanese pirates. During the 1633 - 1636s shogunate issued a series of isolationist laws aimed at banning Christianity and total control over the population. And so we can say that Japan and China have tend to isolate themselves from European society for several reasons the first of which was artificial imposition of Christianity under the pretext of "saving" of the Eastern people.

This slowed down the economic and cultural development of the eastern countries. European discoveries in the field of science and technology have come into use in the East much later. In turn Japanese and Chinese discoveries in the field of medicine have come in Europe during the next period of active relationships and have been widely used in the world practice. During the World War II, Japan took the side of Germany, and thus drew the line which have crossed out any possible relationship between the Far East and the West for a long time.

At the present stage of development of the country, the isolation policy helps to maintain domestic producers and safeguarding of cultural identity. Culture and politics of the East have always differed from the Western because the first ones were based on the principles of other philosophies and religions. However, because of the limited territorial resources in China and Japan, the designing, manufacturing and export of high technologies is highly developed. That promotes a new wave of relationships development between China, Japan and Europe.