Both Ming China and Tokugawa Japan established strong centralized governments under absolute rulers who consolidated power by eliminating rivals, establishing bureaucracies based on merit, and restricting foreign influence. However, while Ming China engaged in overseas exploration and trade, Tokugawa Japan pursued a policy of isolationism and severely limited foreign trade to just a few European partners by the mid-1600s. Overall, while there were some similarities in their political systems, Ming China had a more outward-looking approach compared to the more isolated Tokugawa shogunate in Japan.