2. 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

3. 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!

5. 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

6. 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)

7. Civil War = Edo v Kyoto

8. 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

10. 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

12. Japan becomes Imperial Power

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

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

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

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

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