Cause & Context
After unifying Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi demanded passage through Joseon for an attack on Ming China. When negotiations failed, Japanese forces invaded in 1592; after losing its capital, Joseon organized resistance and requested Ming military assistance.
Epochal Overview
Japanese armies advanced rapidly at first, while Joseon righteous armies and naval forces continued resisting; Ming troops entered Korea and retook Pyongyang. Fighting and negotiation overlapped after 1593, Japan invaded again in 1597, and its forces withdrew after Hideyoshi died in 1598.
Civilizational Impact
The war devastated Joseon's population, agriculture, and cities, imposed heavy fiscal and military costs on Ming China, and strained Japanese domains through prolonged mobilization. Regional diplomacy was reorganized as Tokugawa rule followed the fall of Hideyoshi's regime.
Key Figures
Toyotomi Hideyoshi, King Seonjo, and the Wanli Emperor directed the three governments. Yi Sun-sin, , , Kato Kiyomasa, and Konishi Yukinaga took part in major land and naval campaigns. Civilians suffered death, displacement, and captivity.