Question

How did Japan modernise?

Answer 1

Japan, as China, had entered isolation once since it was feared that their people would be influenced by foreign cultures. This ended when they realized how modernized Europe was, and how they were threatened by them. They had to open some ports afterward to major nations. The Japanese were angry that their shogun had done this, and turned to their young emperor, Mutsuhito, who later took control. He thought that the best way to counterattack was to modernize Japan. He sent people to study the Western civilization. The used Germany's constitution, adopted the American system of education, and admired the German army and British navy. He also brought industrialization to Japan. They became the strongest military power in Asia.