Rising Power’s Dilemma

Abstract This chapter covers the period that began with Japan’s struggle to maintain its sovereignty. This goal defined Japan’s grand strategy during the first few decades following the Meiji Restoration on two accounts. First, Japan’s industrialization and military modernization were motivated by the state’s desire to become “modern” and to overcome geographical liminality. To that end, Japan opened its economy to the world and sought to catch up to the West, later under the slogan “Datsu-A Nyū-Ō (Leave Asia, Enter Europe).” Second, the method to do so connected Japan’s industry and military development through the slogan of “Fukoku Kyōhei (rich nation, strong military).” After two major wars (the Sino–Japanese War of 1894–95 and the Russo–Japanese War of 1904–05), Japan laid a solid foundation for its ascent, utilizing an economic strategy backed by its military might to magnify its influence in the region. This chapter covers the foundational history of Japan’s modern grand strategy that describes the country’s development from a secluded island nation in Asia to one among the ranks of imperial powers. The chapter argues that intense external threats and post-restoration domestic politics opened space for a dramatic change in Japan’s grand strategy of investing massively into economic modernization and military build-up. In the process, Japan utilized all three dimensions of its grand strategic instruments (military, diplomacy, and economy).