Japan *Throughout most of its history = Feudalism … but Emperors had very little political power - Power in hereditary military governors = Shoguns - Ruling with warrior nobility known as Samurai

Japan & the West: * Different from China - foreign contacts were NOT rejected … at least at first! * Japanese wished to keep their cultural identity … but showed open-mindedness toward European ideas & exchanges - especially Business!

Gun-boat Diplomacy 1853: US Navy (Commodore Matthew Perry) sailed into Tokyo Bay … making show of American strength forces them to sign treaties granting trade rights control over tariffs to other western nations

Japanese reaction *Samurai humiliated by intrusion of Americans and furious over unequal treaty status imposed *Shogun & Samurai from interior (Kyoto) rebelled in attempt to reject Western influence of Emperor (Edo)

Civil War = Edo v Kyoto

Meiji Restoration (1860s) *Eastern Samurai seized control and restored power to Emperor  Capital to Edo (Tokyo) *Turning point in Japanese development: - Ends power of Shogunate & Samurai - Ends Sokoku in favor Open Door Policy - Adoption of Western Technology *Economy, Industrialization, Military

Japan begins adopting Western ideas *Industrialization inspires them to become world superpower … thanks in part to help from European merchants & military advisers *Sends scholars overseas to study modernization – Economic, Political, & Military *Nobles & former Samurai could be placed into positions of Influence (Ziabatsu) … if willing to adopt to idea of new, westernized Japan

Japan becomes Imperial Power

Japanese Militarism - emphasis on modernization & expansion of Naval + Armed Forces

Japanese Imperialism Military benefited from rapid industrialization & by having a crippled power (China) as neighbor

Sino-Japanese War (1894) Navy defeated China to capture control of Korea

Russo-Japanese War (1905) Navy defeats Russia – which was trying to capture Korea & Vladivostok (Ports on Pacific)

Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere Japan had advantage over Europe & USA in Asia - being closer to targets of interest (Pacific)