The Rapid Industrialization Under Imperial Rule
Japan went under immediate efforts to instantly modernize itself. Institutions that were there for hundreds of years were torn down to make room for the change. Ironically, the Japanese believed that this modernization would help prevent any more western influence. There were many huge changes that occurred during this rebuilding. For starters, feudalism was abolished. This was the basis of Japanese culture for centuries but it had to go. Also, political power in Japan became centralized instead of a shogun and many warlords. A constitution was established and the Japanese created a government modeled off of the Germans with a Parliament appointed by the emperor. Next, the samurai were sent abroad to learn about western science and technology. The world had changed drastically during the time that Japan was in seclusion and they needed to make up ground. After this, the samurai class itself was abolished. They became a driving force of the business class as they now knew many western methods and technologies. Interestingly enough, the founder of Mitsubishi, Iwasaki Yataro, was part of this class.
Japan went though its own Industrial Revolution. Its navy was greatly updated and modernized which came in handy in the wars to come. Also with the abolishing of feudalism, peasants were given ownership of land during a huge land reform. Revenue in Japan greatly went up due to industrial taxes greatly replacing agricultural taxes. However Japan's rapid industrialization with few natural resources led them to have to reach out to neighboring countries, sometime through trade, but generally by war. Japan became the last great imperial nation of the 19th century. The country that they became, is the country that became an Axis power and an enemy to the U.S.. This brings in how important this revolution was on a wold scale. It also was a great help in keeping Japan from Western Colonization. This fear of colonization could be attributed for the drive of Japan to change and become a world power.