BCHighMUN 30

BCHMUN 30

Warring Summit: Sengoku Period

Chair: Andrew Engel

Co-Chair: Kevin Camy

3.5.2022
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Table of Contents

Letter from the Chair 3

Letter from Co-Chair 5
Introduction 6
History of a Topic 8
Obstacles 10
Works Cited 11
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Letter from the Chair

Esteemed Delegates,

Greetings and hello to everyone! Welcome to BC High MUN 30. My name is Andrew

Engel and I am a senior at Boston College High school. I will be chairing the Warring Summit:

Sengoku Period Committee and am honored to chair this committee as this will be my first time

chairing. At my school, I am these co-curriculars: Project Citizenship, The Hyde Center for

Global Scholars along with being in Model UN. Also I am captain of the sailing team. This is a

bittersweet moment seeing this will be my last BC High MUN and look forward to starting a

new chapter in college.

I am eager to meet all delegates in this committee and am excited to examine both

differing perspectives and outlooks. I find that open debate and respect for others' opinions is the

best way to reach a solution to a problem. Given the current political climate it is essential that

we listen and comprehend others' views. I can't wait to see what each delegate will bring to the

table and the solutions that are reached. I have participated within Model UN at BC High for the

past 4 years and have been at this event for the past 3 years. Thank you everyone for the patience

and understanding in these times of uncertainty and applaud your enthusiasm.

The Sengoku Jidai was a key event in world history, specifically Japanese history because

it was a time when Japan fought for power, and created a centralized, unified government at the

end of the period.

Please feel free to contact us for any questions at aw.engel22@students.bchigh.edu. I

encourage all of you to send their papers to me prior to the conference to be considered for the

Ben Maher Award. I hope to hear from all of you. I wish everyone luck, and thank you for

coming!
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Sincerely,

Andrew Engel, Réseaux Sociaux at BC High Model UN Club

(He/Him)
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Letter from Co-Chair

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to BC High Model UN 30. I hope all of you are well. My name is Kevin Camy and I

will be the co-chair of this committee. This is my fourth year in Model UN and it has been a

great experience. This my second time co-chairing a committee and I want to serve you in the

best way.

In 2020, I had the opportunity to chair the British House of Commons Committee. That

committee itself was very interesting and listening to everyone speak their points were great.

Being in that position helped me to make an inclusive, energetic, and vibrant environment. In

2021, I co-chaired the Boko Haram Committee on Zoom. It was a sensational experience.

Outside of Model UN, I am a part of Sports Debate, Latin Quiz Bowl, and Philosophy Club. I am

a part of the Michael D White Leadership Program at my school, and I am a senior mentor. I like

watching wrestling and sports, debating with others, (especially with my father regarding

politics), and teasing my five younger siblings.

This is going to be my last BC High conference. It’s been a journey and one I will never forget. I

have had so much fun and I have been so fortunate to be a part of this group and to meet

fabulous people. Let’s have a great conference.

Email me at k.camy22@students.bchigh.edu, if you have any questions, concerns, or wish to

send your position papers, Until we meet, have a superb day.

Yours truly,

Kevin Camy’22, Charge D’Affairs BC High Model UN Club

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Introduction

From 1467 CE to 1615 CE, Japan was in a state of constant civil war. This became

known as the Sengoku Period. Due to the collapse in Japan’s feudal system, a power-vacuum

emerged. The Sengoku Jidai, or the Warring States Period of Japan, was a period of conquest,

mistrust, betrayal, violence, and instability. Some of the key figures during this period were Oda

Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Hattori Hanzo and they had hige impact

on Japan. The period began following the end of the violent Onin War in 1477, towards the end

of the Ashikaga for conflict of power. Some historians consider the end of the Sengoku period to

be in 1567, when Shogunate. The main time period of the Sengoku Jidai lasted from 1467 to

1567, with a whole century of Japan, who acted as a vassal to the shogun. However, it was not

technically until 1603 with the rise of the Oda Nobunaga that took over the city of Kyoto.

Tokugawa Shogunate and TokugawaIeyasu did the war actually end within Japan.

At the end of the Onin War in 1467, the important figures who became Daimyos

(powerful landholders of Daimyos) also used the time period after the Onin War to assert power

as regional warlords. However, daimyos frequently had altering jobs and tasks during Japan; at

the beginning of the 8th-10th centuries, most acted as landlords, while during the Ashikaga

shogunate before the Onin War, many acted as military governors.

During the Sengoku period, Daimyos were consistently at conflict with each other, which

led to fewer holding land and in charge of the military; eventually most ended up as subjects of

the Tokugawa family’s power over Japan and the differing territories. Shoguns were considered

to be the “Commander in under Tokugawa Ieyasu. In addition to Daimyos during this time

period, Shoguns played the most important role of the time, many were puppet leaders to Japan,

while shoguns had the real authority; therefore, Chief” of the military and had most of the
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control over the nation. While there were emperors, whoever had control of the shogun, had

power over Japan.

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History of a Topic

The Onin War

The Onin War began when Ashikaga Yoshimasa lacked a proper heir to the throne, as he

coaxed his younger brother, Ashikaga Yoshimi to become the new ruler. With the unexpected

birth of Yoshihisa between Ashikaga Yoshimasa and his wife Hino Tomiko, it was unclear who

would take control: Yoshimasa’s son or his younger brother. Because the Hosokawa Clan

supported the rule of Yoshimi in power, and Yoshimasa supported his newborn son Yoshihisa for

power, this caused more conflict and the OninWar. It happened with some support from other

clans and leaders at the time, too, most notably Yamana Sozen, a monk who was in conflict with

the Hosokawa Clan. The Onin War had 270,000 soldiers fight, making it one of the largest wars

fought in Japanese history.

Yet there was still some push back from each side on whether or not to actually engage in

lives rather than strategically. This led to violence, bloodshed, and damage across Japan,as many

buildings were destroyed and many clans faced immense casualties. At first, the main battles

were because of the widespread violence and brutality of the war. Many died or fled Japan. The

Shogun lost its main power at the time, and the Daimyos sent their troops out to fight for their

survival. After eleven years, the war ended with no declared winner leaving a wartorn and

disembodied Japan. However, while warlords financed and directed the war, lower ranked

officials took over government positions. This lead to new powerful figures and a new set of

problems.
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After a Hosokawa mansion was mysteriously set on fire, the war had officially started,

with War. the Hosokawa clan seeking vengeance and retaliation. This war was historically

known as a battle for survival because many fought for their lives in Kyoto; however, it spread

throughout most of Japan towards the latter part of the war. regional power struggles to manage

in the new period of the Sengoku Jidai

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Obstacles

There was no stability in the government in central Japan. It left villages to form their own

governments and at times pair up with other villages. The villages gained strength making their

own laws and rebuilding their communities.

Oda Nobunaga brought stability to central Japan’s government. He enlarged Japan’s territory

because of his knowledge of firearms and martial skills. He brought an end to the warring period

and brought unification to Japan making it stronger than it had been before.

Alliances/Enemies/Bloc Positions: Consider each clashing clan and supportive group.

Questions to Consider:

1. Should the wars continue between these clashing groups?

2. Should imperial authority be restored?

3. Should power be centralized or decentralized?

4. What role did religion play during the Sengoku, and how was religion influenced during

the time period?

5. How was the overall domestic policy during Sengoku Jidai, and why was there a need to

unify Japan?
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Works Cited

William E. Deal, Handbook to Life in Medieval & Early Modern Japan (New York: Infobase
Publishing, 2006)

Danny Chaplin Sengoku Jidai. Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu: Three Unifiers of Japan
(2018) Excerpts referenced only

Stephen Turnbull War in Japan: 1467–1615 (Essential Histories) (2019)

Brett L. Walker, A Concise History of Japan (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015)