How Japan Became a Successful Empire

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By 1905 Japan had become a military power capable of carving out an empire for itself. Japan did this by the Meiji Restoration, the Sino- Japanese War and the Anglo-Japanese alliance + Russo- Japanese War.

Firstly, Japan was dramatically changed after the Meiji Restoration in 1868. The Meiji Restoration was a political uprising which ended the era of ruling of the Tokugawa shogun and gave back power to the emperor Meiji. When the emperor returned to his position as ruler, Japan was the complete opposite of a military power, it relied on its farm land and had made very few technological advances. The Japanese people wanted to become a nation able to stand amongst Europe and United States (the Western Powers) especially after these western powers had unwillingly made Japan sign an accord that restricted its control over its own foreign trading and made sure that any felony’s involving foreigners were to be tried in western courts not Japanese. The first thing the emperor wanted to do after regaining his power was to get rid of the old government which they later did in 1871. In this year they also created their own army which was later increased in 1873. In 1912 when the Meiji emperor died japan had created a powerful government, a highly developed transport system, an educated population and a powerful navy and army. This period of time contributed greatly to Japan becoming a military power capable of carving out its own empire.

Furthermore, another factor that contributed to the rise of Japan’s military power was the Sino-Japanese war that began in 1894 and ended in 1895. The Sino-Japanese war began when both Japan and china wanted dominance over Korea because of its coal and iron. After taking up the western technology that was...

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...heir other port at Vladivostok but Japan’s naval army was much faster and brought down the Russian Pacific fleet easily. Russia sent in more fleets but could not defeat japan, in the end japan took down 19 of Russia’s ships. This victorious win took the whole world by surprise and made japan the first non- European country to defeat a European country. This war had a huge role in making japan the strong military power and powerful empire it is now.

By 1905 japan had become a military power capable of carving out an empire for itself. Japan did this through the Meiji Restoration which ended the reign of the Tokugawa shogun and giving power back to the emperor, the Sino-Japanese War with china in 194-1895 and the Anglo-Japanese Alliance which resulted in the Russo-Japanese war. All of these historical moments have made Japan the powerful country and empire it is now.

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