Australias previous relationship with japan
Even before World War 2, Australia’s relationship with Japan had not been harmonious.
In the late 1800’s many Japanese people were moving to Australia for employment opportunities, whilst this was good for Australia culturally and economically; Australia still viewed the Japanese as a threat to its racial purity and implemented ‘the white Australian policy’ in 1901.
This policy made it difficult for people who were not from white Europe to migrate to Australia. The white Australia policy offended Japan greatly. The white Australia policy was kept for 75 years despite the Japanese governments appeals to abolish it.
During World War 1, Australia instigated large amounts of negative stereotypes about the Japanese. This included:
· Poetry
· Cartoons
· Plays
· Films
In World War 1 Japan and Australia were allies against Germany. Even though they were allies there was still an amount of suspicion and mistrust between the two nations.
At the end of World War1, the treaty of Versailles was signed and the allies divided land amongst themselves, however Japan only gained a very small amount of land in China and felt very cheated.