The document discusses the emergence of modern and imperial Japan leading up to World War 2 in the Pacific. It describes how Japan transitioned from a feudal society to its Meiji Restoration in 1868 which established a capitalist economy, westernized military, and constitutional democracy. It then discusses Japan's first industrialized Asian power status and its victories over China in the 1st Sino-Japanese War from 1894-1895 which led to territorial gains for Japan on the Korean peninsula and Taiwan.