History question about Japan?

Question: History question about Japan!?

Do you think that Japan could have become an imperialistic power if it had not modernized!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

That sort of happened pre-World War II!. If you want to count the 1920's/30's as imperialistic!. World War 2 really was all about natural resources and Japan's need to bring more of them to feed it's factories!. If the ruling ministers had decided a "non-violent" approach to get those natural resources with it's Asian neighbors, perhaps the old imperialistic ways would still be in place!.

Remember, MacArthur's was a strong proponant of keeping the Emperor as the "seat of power" even if it wasn't "true" power!. Not to get off point, we had some very smart people in the United States after the second World War!. To the US occupation of Japan and allowing the emperor his seat to the Marshall Plan in Europe - very intelligent moves!. You don't think so - take a look at the world after WW I and the anger those post war treaties brought!.

Japan's growth had a lot to do with it's culture, not it's government - that's been my observation!. Obviously to modernize you need support from the government - be it tax breaks, and legislation - and I definitely think the old imperial government would do that!. It's just that the hawks got control of the important centers of influence in the 1930's!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I don't think so, because every imperialistic nation needed up-to-date technology to compete with each other!. China and India were not imperialists because they did not develop advanced technology like the mariner's compass and modern navigation until after the Europeans and Japanese!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Before Japan Modernized they had no contact with the outside world!. So no!.Www@QuestionHome@Com