The Economic Factors In The Anglo-Japanese Alliance

In the modern history of international relations, the Anglo-Japanese Alliance is thefirst formal alliance agreement that is concluded by the Western powers and the EastCountries. British consideration of economic factors in an alliance is not a lot, because of itsown economic power, but Japan takes into more economic factors. With the passage oftime and the evolution of the international situation, the competitiveness of Japaneseproducts gradually increases in the international; the strength of the recession in the UnitedKingdom makes it take into more and more consideration in economic factors. For example,in the Japanese tariff reform in1910, the United Kingdom in the League within theframework forced Japan take the traditional tariffs to protect British industry. Especiallyafter World War I, the huge war debts makes the British desire to cancel the war debts, soBritish has to cooperate with the biggest creditor-the United States. Finally, the terminationof the Anglo-Japanese Alliance becomes Britain’s the only choice.The league has continued for20years. During these years, economic factors whichcan influence the foundation, continuation, and termination of the League, cannot beignored. This paper is divided into four chapters. The first chapter analyzes the economicfactors in the first Anglo-Japanese Alliance. Britain and Japan take into the economicinterests of the alliance after the two countries allied, and the alliance has a major impact onthe Japanese economy, while little effect on the United Kingdom. The second chapteranalyzes the economic factors in the second Anglo-Japanese Alliance, like the analysis ofJapan ahead of renewed economic considerations, and the United Kingdom’s new theintention. Under the strong support of the United Kingdom, Japan acquired the interests oftrade, railway, investment in northeast China, and the huge profits in North Korea. In thetariff reform in Japan, the weakness of the British forces British to oppress Japan to meet itseconomic interests. The third chapter analyzes the economic factors in the third Anglo-Japanese Alliance. It is about the economic considerations of the alliance and the differentinfluence of the First World War in British economy and the Japanese economy. The finalchapter analyzes economic factors that lead to the termination of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, and the war debts force the British to be closely linked with the United States,which makes British desiring to cancel the war debts have to cooperate with the biggestcreditor-the United States. The United States wasn’t satisfied with Anglo-JapaneseAlliance. Finally, British have to give up the alliance to get the understanding of the UnitedStates.This paper argues that the economic factor is the invisible driving force behind thepolitical alliance. On the one hand, it leads to the conclusion of the alliance. On the otherhand, it also hinders the further continuation of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. Economicfactors is invisible, but cannot be ignored, which is the importment consideration of thefoundation and the termination of the alliance. Without the economic factors, the UnitedKingdom’s position in the world economy, the talking about the establishment and renewalof the alliance is not comprehensive. As not comprehensive as, without a post-war declineof the British economy, the largest creditor-the United States, the talking about thetermination of the alliance is.