How Japan Became an Imperial Power

The Rise of Colonialism: How Europe Divided the World — Fexingo History · Oct 11, 2026 · 4m · transcript

While Europe carved up Africa and Asia in the late nineteenth century, Japan underwent a quiet revolution that transformed it from a feudal society into a modern imperial power. This episode explores the Meiji Restoration of 1868 and the rapid industrialization that followed. We examine how leaders like Itō Hirobumi and Ōkubo Toshimichi dismantled the samurai class to build a centralized state. The narrative covers the adoption of Western technology, the creation of a conscript army, and the constitutional reforms that balanced tradition with modernity. We also look at the cultural shifts…