A History of Japan: From Stone Age to Superpower (9 page)

The
Nihon Shoki
treats Kaya as a Japanese colony, but this is unlikely.
⁴⁸
So too is the claimed invasion of Silla by the legendary ‘Empress’ Jing
, a fourth-century shaman-ruler. Many aspects of Japan’s relations with these Korean kingdoms are unclear, but its relations with both Kaya and Paekche were generally strong and beneficial. Japan benefited not only from the introduction of writing and Buddhism but also from access to valuable sources of iron ore.

Its relations with Silla were not so good, and as Silla rose to dominance on the Korean peninsula from the mid-sixth century Japan’s involvement there waned. A century or so later, the very survival of Paekche was under threat, and in 663 the Paekche rulers requested assistance from Yamato Japan against attack from a combined force from Silla and T’ang China. Japan responded promptly, and sent a large fleet of some 800 ships but despite numerical supremacy was badly defeated at the mouth of the Geum River, in what is known as the Battle of Baekgang, through a combination of poor tactics and poor vessels – the latter quite surprising for an island nation.
⁴⁹
Silla then went on to establish control over the Korean peninsula, bringing the period of the Three Kingdoms to an end a few years later. Fortunately for the new Yamato rulers, Silla does not seem to have been interested in following up its victory by attempting to invade Japan – though the Japanese did take the precaution of building a fortified defensive base in north Ky
sh
, known as the Dazaifu, which was to become an important centre over the next few centuries.

Japan’s emulation of China was particularly seen in the activities of Y
mei’s second son, Prince Sh
toku (Sh
toku Taishi, 574–622), who was half Soga by blood. Probably the best-known figure of those times, from 594 till his death in 622 Sh
toku was regent under Empress Suiko (r.593–628). He greatly contributed not only to the promotion of Buddhism by the building of numerous temples but to the promotion of all things Chinese. Among other things he was responsible for re-establishing missions to a now reunified China, and for introducing the Chinese-style ‘cap rank’ system in which, as the name suggests, the rank of officials was indicated by their hat.

Sh
toku is also credited with drawing up the so-called Seventeen Article Constitution of 604, which was intended to strengthen central government. It had a strong Chinese flavour, particularly in its Confucianism.
⁵⁰
Though deemed a constitution it was, however, largely a set of guidelines for officials, with a particular emphasis on harmony (
wa
) and loyalty to the divine and therefore legitimate authority of the imperial line. Something of its nature can be seen from the opening words of Article One, which quote Confucius and state that ‘Harmony is to be valued’, and from the opening words of Article Eight, which are of a less grand and more specific character: ‘Let the ministers and functionaries attend the court early in the morning, and retire late.’
⁵¹

The Soga clan was the major influence in the early Yamato court, often controlling the imperial line itself. However, in 645 it was overthrown in a coup led by Fujiwara no Kamatari (614–99). The Fujiwara were to dominate court life in Japan for some centuries to come. But they did not change the Soga clan’s promotion of things Chinese. Along with the future Emperor Tenji (r.661–71), Kamatari put in place a number of ambitious reforms based on the Chinese model of central government. These reforms are known collectively as the Taika (Great Change) Reform(s) of 645.

One major reform was the nationalisation of land. Paddies were henceforth to be allocated by the government. Every six years all free adult males received approximately 0.3 acres, and females 0.2 acres. Other reforms included taxation in the form of produce and not simply labour, a restructuring of ranks, and, in contrast to the previous practice of shifting capitals, the establishment of a permanent capital (at Naniwa, present-day Ōsaka, though in practice this did not remain the capital for more than a few years). Moreover, orders were given for the surveying and registering of land and population. Taxation practices and claimed ranks of various local officials were investigated with a view to eliminating corruption. Unauthorised weapons were confiscated.

Chinese-style law codes were drawn up in connection with these reforms. They emphasised the authority of the emperor and thus the centralisation of power, and they also addressed the rationalisation of bureaucracy. These various laws are known generically as
ritsury
, ritsu
being essentially penal sanctions and
ry
being instructions for officials.
⁵²
Though not always carried out as intended,
ritsury
law during the eighth century permitted a small group of around 400 officials to control a country of about five million people.
⁵³