Emperor of Japan: Meiji and His World, 1852-1912 by Donald Keene

I'm continuing my study of the 19th century with this biography on the emperor who ruled during the critical Meiji Restoration in Japan.  That event (and his reign) set Japan on its course of Westernization in sharp contrast to that of China, following both countries' encounters with the European powers in the mid 19th century.

Japan, which had been closed to outside influence, lived under the military rule of the Shogunate for hundreds of years prior to the Restoration.  Japanese emperors had always ruled in theory, but in reality they were cloistered from society, never setting foot beyond palace walls and exerting no influence on their kingdom.  They lived a ceremonial life, often in near poverty.

The Restoration changed all of that.  Following the arrival of Western ships, the preponderance of Japanese wanted to interface with the world economy and join the global society of nations.  The Shoguns sought to keep Japan isolated from the outside world, a position that cost them their centuries-long rule of Japan.

Those who sought Westernization chose the Emperor as their leader (albeit symbolically in the early years) and fought brutally to overthrow the Shogunate and the continued outbreaks of rebellion that followed.

It's important to point out that the Meiji Emperor did not inspire these events; his father Komei, who bitterly opposed Westernization, ruled until his death in 1867, just after the official Restoration.  The young Meiji was too young to take a position on Westernization, although he ardently supported it once he came of age.

Japan benefited greatly from its decision to join the world of nations, growing economically and in terms of world influence and military power.  It was able to defeat both China (1895) and Russia (1905) in wars to claim suzerainty over Korea, gaining possession of Taiwan and other islands along the way.

But somewhere along the line the new Japan of the Meiji era became to greedy for power, resulting in its grab for world domination in World War II.  It's difficult to reconcile the benefits Japan has enjoyed as a result, as compared with the devastation that war brought on the world and itself.

But a major turning point in world history deserved a closer inspection.