Japan's Transformation and Rise to Power

Skibidi bop, Japan was chillin' in isolation under the Tokugawa shogunate until Commodore Perry busted in with warships, lowkey demanding trade access. Talk about an edge! The Tokugawa government crumbled in 1868, and boom, Meiji Restoration was here to bring the emperor back. They went full sigma mode, building a modern nation with factories and a strong military, all while chanting Fukoku Kyohei. Japan was not about to be a goon like China. They sent the Iwakura Mission to study the West, and soon after, they were flexing victories over China and Russia. Empire-building became the goal, but tensions with the West brewed, especially as the Great Depression hit. Japan's vibe was shifting toward nationalism, and things were about to get dank.