Japan, an isolated island located in the Pacific Ocean in East Asia, surprised the world when it first opened its doors to Western influence in 1854. Although he had a strict policy in maintaining his isolation, he had no choice but to succumb to imperialism. When Commodore Matthew Perry visited Japan, Japan realized that isolation had led to their inability to develop economically and militarily with the industrialized world. Thus, from 1854 to 1914, the Japanese went from being under the influence of imperialism to becoming an imperialist nation, emerging from feudalism and entering modern militarism. Despite all these economic and military changes, Japan has managed to consolidate its power under a single ruler, be it the shogun, the emperor or the military general. From early 1854 to late 1914, Japan went from being threatened by trading with the West to aggressively embracing imperialism. After Commodore Matthew Perry's first visit, Japan was faced with no choice but to open trade because it faced the threat of destruction. This can be seen in the Treaty of Kanagawa, which opened diplomatic relations between the United States and Japan. Eventually, more similar treaties were signed in favor of these Western countries. Japan at that time was under the influence of these countries. Eventually, however, Japan began its own imperialism over China, Korea, and parts of Russia. Japan not only became an imperial power, but became a world power after driving out the Russians and establishing its hegemony in Nanjing and Manchuria. Through a period of rapid industrialization and development, the Japanese... middle of paper... inserted themselves into the Japanese political system. The reason Japan favored autocracy is because it shows greater variation in economic growth rates than partial or full democracies. For example, under militarism and aggression, it was easier to modernize since the state controlled the economy. This system of government also gave Japan an advantage over its people, adopting a rigorous policy to crush any resistance. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power capable of defeating the forces of both China and Russia. During this period Japan underwent some significant changes, while maintaining its autocratic rule over its people. For example, Japan went from being threatened by Europeans to becoming one of the world powers. Despite all this, Japan still had an emperor and authoritative rule was preserved .