Gaining Control in JapanJapan, like China, originally restrained from letting other nations take over. In 1853, the U.S. sent a fleet of ship under the command of Commodore Mathew Perry to Japan in order to end the nation’s self-imposed isolation and open it to trade. Frightened, Japan agreed to trade with the United States and signed the Treaty of Kanagawa allowing American ships to trade in Japanese ports. Soon Britain, Russia, and Holland negotiated similar treaties.
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Gaining Control and Effects of Imperialism
After they opened their ports, the Meiji Era started. The intrusion of the West would become a turning point for feudal Japan. The Tokugawa government was criticized and ultimately overthrown for allowing western nations into Japan. In 1868, Emperor Mutsushito was restored to the throne. He decided that in order to withstand the imperialistic might of the West, Japan would need to adopt western ways. This movement would be known as the Meiji Restoration.
During this time period, the Japanese built up a strong military, a strong navy, an effective education system, and managed to free themselves from foreign reforms. In fact, Japan borrowed some ideas directly from Western nations. For example, they based their army on the German and French armies, and their navy was based off of the British navy. Japanese scholars were sent abroad to learn as much as possible about the West. Feudalism was abandoned in Japan in favor of a written constitution and the establishment of modern mechanized armed forces. Western technology was adopted which allowed the Japanese to fully industrialize in less than 50 years. By the end of the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese no longer feared that they would be imperialized. Rather, they set out to practice imperialism themselves.
In 1895, Japan started to establish themselves as an empire by defeating China in a war, winning Taiwan, which they used as a source of sugar and rice. Later, in 1905, Japan scored another victory in the Russo-Japanese War. Out of that triumph, Japan received Korea, which they used as a place to get even more rice. Also the Japanese believed Korea had potential for industrial developments. Japan also got a foothold in Manchuria where a Japanese army was placed. Japan not only managed to keep its independence, but it also became an imperial power and conquered other nations.
During this time period, the Japanese built up a strong military, a strong navy, an effective education system, and managed to free themselves from foreign reforms. In fact, Japan borrowed some ideas directly from Western nations. For example, they based their army on the German and French armies, and their navy was based off of the British navy. Japanese scholars were sent abroad to learn as much as possible about the West. Feudalism was abandoned in Japan in favor of a written constitution and the establishment of modern mechanized armed forces. Western technology was adopted which allowed the Japanese to fully industrialize in less than 50 years. By the end of the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese no longer feared that they would be imperialized. Rather, they set out to practice imperialism themselves.
In 1895, Japan started to establish themselves as an empire by defeating China in a war, winning Taiwan, which they used as a source of sugar and rice. Later, in 1905, Japan scored another victory in the Russo-Japanese War. Out of that triumph, Japan received Korea, which they used as a place to get even more rice. Also the Japanese believed Korea had potential for industrial developments. Japan also got a foothold in Manchuria where a Japanese army was placed. Japan not only managed to keep its independence, but it also became an imperial power and conquered other nations.