World civilization - Research Paper Example

the influence these explorers were having on the locals through Christianity was great and the Tokugawa administration saw it as a threat (Nakamura 186). The administration decided to expel and terminate Christianity. This stopped the foreigners from entering Tokugawa territory. This being the case, the outsiders were locked outside of Japan for nearly two hundred years (Nakamura 186). However, the rise of Meiji marked the end of Tokugawa era and hence brought a new dimension on welcoming the westerners in Japan (Nakamura 196).

The modernization in Japan, or rather westernization was marked by the start of Meiji era (Nakamura 196). The Meiji era inherited a stable economic and peaceful government from Tokugawa reign and this made it easier for the young leader to open the early modern Japan to the west with its influence. The agriculture was flourishing and the reason for modernizing was not economically oriented. The reign of Meiji led to modernization by converting the country from a feudal nation into an ultra-modern westernized state (Nakamura 196).

However, the country modernized on its own terms because it was already developed. The primary reason Japan wanted to modernize was to shield itself from the West taking it over. Japan wanted to be like the Western countries and colonize other Asian countries (Nakamura 196). Precisely, Japan colonized Korea. Japan also longed to modernize so that it can create allies with the US. The US was looking for economic alliance with Asian countries and Japan was strategic. So Japan quickly seized the opportunity.

Japan also wanted to expand scientifically and needed countries to corporate in this area (Nakamura 196). It is for this area that it opened its arms the world and fast tracked modernization. Today Japan work closely with the US aerospace exploration agency called NASA. In all these interactions and international relationship, the people of Japan remain very important to the country. A balance need to exist