The Meiji Restoration is considered the beginning of modernization in Japan. Commodore Perry's advent in Japan transformed the nation from feudalism and isolation into a world power in the twentieth century. Japan emulated the model of the Western powers by industrializing and expanding its foreign influence. Japan reacted distinctly when challenged by the West. When the United States and European countries forced Japan to open its ports to the world in the 1850s, Japan decided to use the West as a model to its advantage. When the emperor returned to power, Japan modernized, militarized, and industrialized. These changes were all based on the examples set by the West. In the early 1900s, Japan became an imperial power and spread its supremacy throughout East Asia. Japan proved that they were just as capable as the West was and disproved the Western myth, proving them to be their equals. Japan was originally ruled by the Tokugawa shoguns, who ruled the nation under their strict feudal system. In Japanese society, the warrior aristocracy, also known as the samurai class, were at the top, while the merchants were at the bottom. Ordinary people had no freedom and were surrounded by restrictions. They were not allowed to participate in politics. Japan was cut off from any contact with the rest of the world. However, they were open to trade with China and also with Dutch merchants. The only reason Japan was open to trade with Dutch merchants was their relationship with the Netherlands. Dutch merchants had sought consent from the Tokugawa shoguns to acquire trade rights with Japan and had to swear that no traders would travel inland. They also had to… middle of paper… fashions and customs, including the metric system and the Western calendar. Japan's population increased rapidly, and with the Meiji Restoration came a sense of pride and nationalism. The nation planned to found an empire, and the state passed a law stating that everyone must return to the previous religion of Shinto. To provide for its empire, Japan had to source raw materials and this led to its expansion in the 1870s. Japan forced Korea to open its ports to trade, and Japan became a great army, equal to that of the West. The Meiji Restoration is considered the beginning of modernization in Japan, and Commodore Perry's entry into Japan caused major changes in the nation. As the twentieth century approached, Japan became a modernized industrial nation, serving as competition to Western European nations.