Turning Point - Sekigahara: Toyotomi's Global Expansion and its Consequences

Phase 09 - Overseas Expansion

After the mid-17th century, Japanese people began to travel to Southeast Asia as if it were their own. The vast Sunda (Indonesia) region became a direct territory of the Osaka Regency, and although Taiwan was also a direct territory, it was opened to immigrants of all classes. However, due to factors such as epidemics, the initial Japanese settlement in Taiwan was not very successful. Instead, immigrants from the Ryukyu Kingdom, which had a similar climate, became a significant force.

The Japanese also became the most influential people in the Philippines, replacing the greatly diminished power of Spain and the disorganized China during the transition from the Ming to the Qing Dynasty. Spain, struggling with the expenses of the Thirty Years' War in Germany, even sold some of its interests to Japan to raise funds. Some even bought Spanish noble titles.

The Strait of Malacca also came under direct control of the Osaka Regency as a result of disputes with the Netherlands, and Southeast Asia had essentially transformed into Japan's sphere of influence and commercial domain. Furthermore, Singapore and Jakarta in Java, located beyond the Malacca and the Malay Peninsula, became substantial trading hubs between Japan and European countries.

It's worth noting that in Southeast Asia, there were numerous countries primarily in the peninsula, such as Siam, Cambodia, Đại Việt, and Nam Hà, and there was the Mataram Kingdom on Java. However, in many aspects, including military power, technological prowess, and navigation skills, Japan was overwhelmingly superior, especially in terms of logistics, which made it an unmatched competitor.

Many European merchants in East Asia had also lost their vigor, and amid the chaos in their home countries, Islamic and Indian merchants were considered more formidable competitors to Japan, alongside Chinese merchants who were unfazed by the turmoil. Japanese expansion had also reached the Indian Ocean, passing through the Strait of Malacca.

Another area of expansion was Nan'yōshū (Oceania).

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It was said that the first time Japanese people became aware of the Oceania region was through their trade dealings with European merchants. The tale of Dutch merchants discovering a mythical new continent at the southernmost point was the beginning of this.

Following disputes with the Netherlands, Japan began to take an interest in Oceania, even occupying the western tip of Papua for military purposes.

Later, during the final stages of the conflict with the Netherlands, the Osaka Regency received information about a Dutch-born explorer named Tasman, who had explored the southernmost regions and made numerous discoveries, including an unknown continent.

Armed with this information, the Regency organized a substantial exploration fleet to search for enemy bases and eliminate them, sending them across the equator.

Japan's South Seas exploration fleet was divided into two groups, with one entering the seas south of Papua from the Sunda region and reaching the northern tip of the new continent. They then proceeded along the coast, heading south and west, eventually reaching the Indian Ocean again. Although this voyage brought with it the discovery of huge new landmasses, the land was barren, consisting only of jungles, swamps, and deserts, with no valuable locations or enemy bases. It was inhabited mainly by subtropical, desert animals and strange creatures with pouches in their bellies, and the Dutch were nowhere to be seen. At most, they placed markers in a few locations that seemed to offer fresh water and fresh food (hunting grounds).

The other group sailed along the north coast of Papua Island, which was densely covered with lush jungles, and reached the islands beyond. Along the way, they engaged in exchanges and information gathering with indigenous people and primarily headed southwest, discovering nations established in islands like Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga. Then, they engaged in trade with local kingdoms and tribes through barter, securing supplies of fresh water and food. They continued south and finally discovered the Shinkai Islands (known as New Zealand in Dutch).