Japan and the Philippines - together through the 20th Century?

Keenir

Banned
By the time of the Spanish-American War, Spain was stretched thin and weak. In OTL, the US won the Philippines from her.

Let's assume that in this ATL, Japan wins the Philippines. (and this at a point in time when the Red Cross praised the Japanese treatment of captives - witness Russia)

I'm not interested in the hundred and eighty ways this could go horribly wrong (that's easy)....I just want to discuss how to keep them helping each other for as long as possible.

ie, would Imperial Japan take them as a national apprentice? a "let's conquer China together" joint mission? solidarity between island nations?

Then again, how much of the Philippine populace would care that it's Japan who got Spain off their backs?


Would the rise of a Japan-Philippines Bloc make Washington tense or relaxed? I suspect the Kremlin will be having kittens at this point.
 
No

Japan was seen a symbol of pan-Asian liberation and freedom from western imperialism by the Asian countries since their victory in the Russo-Japanese War - until they realize that Japan was worse than their previously colonial rulers.

The "let's conquer China together" idea doesn't work that way. The The Phillipines doesn't have a border with China, unlike Korea or Manchuria which certainly did not prosper under Japanese "partnership".

The very, very best the Japanese could do for this partnership is a Taiwan-like sitatuation. Imperial Japan was out for an empire to colonize like the Britain and France, not to liberate fellow Asian brother nations.
 
Imperial Japan was out for an empire to colonize like the Britain and France, not to liberate fellow Asian brother nations.

In the 1930s, yes, but in 1898 or round about, were they really? Isn't it possible that the Japanese, in some kind of trade agreement with the US, liberates the Philippines from Spanish rule?

They would probably turn the Philippines into a puppet, yes, but they won't necessarily absorb them entirely.
 

Germaniac

Donor
Japan was i absolutely in no economic position to capture the Phillipines, just finished up a war that bankrupted them.

If they took it is would be devestated in an attempt to get as much money out of it as possible
 
Despite the implausibility, one outcome would be a non-English speaking Philippines, and hence a Philippines that does not export guest workers.
 
There are three general possibilities for Japan: they could take the "protectorate" route, as with Manchuria and Korea (pre-1910), or the Taiwan treatment. Either way, there would be complications; such as reconciling Catholic fervor with the Shinto notion of the Emperor as a god.
 

Markus

Banned
In the 1930s, yes, but in 1898 or round about, were they really? Isn't it possible that the Japanese, in some kind of trade agreement with the US, liberates the Philippines from Spanish rule?

They would probably turn the Philippines into a puppet, yes, but they won't necessarily absorb them entirely.


The PI´s independance movement had contacts to Japan, so a Japanese intervention instead of an American one could have happened. Let´s assume after the war Japan handles the PI smarter than the USA did and leases the ex-spanish naval bases for a couple of decades and in turn promises the PI protection from the "white" imperialists.
 

Keenir

Banned
There are three general possibilities for Japan: they could take the "protectorate" route, as with Manchuria and Korea (pre-1910), or the Taiwan treatment.

don't know much about either, but neither sound like we'd see Japan and the Philippines steamrolling across the Pacific, so there's that to recommend it.

(if I may ask, what was the third possibility?)

Either way, there would be complications; such as reconciling Catholic fervor with the Shinto notion of the Emperor as a god.

By 1901, Japanese Christians weren't persecuted, right? {I've no idea}.
maybe just tell both Christian groups "pray for the Emperor's health and success, and we'll look the other way"?


The "let's conquer China together" idea doesn't work that way.

Hm. So while Chiang and Mao are shooting at each other, what will Japan and the Philippines do?

Despite the implausibility, one outcome would be a non-English speaking Philippines, and hence a Philippines that does not export guest workers.

Sounds good on its own...though not sure about how it affects the finances of this Philippines.
 
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