Theodore Roosevelt's 1909 speech at Mt. Holyoke addressed the changing balance of global power and the need for the US to adjust its foreign policy in response to Japan's growing strength. Roosevelt acknowledged Japan's modernization and victories over China and Russia, which elevated it to the status of a major world power. He also discussed issues related to Japanese immigration into the US and the tensions it caused. Roosevelt believed the US needed to recognize Japan as an economic and naval peer, manage immigration issues diplomatically to avoid conflict, and consider Japan's position when making foreign policy decisions impacting East Asia.