2. The Meiji Restoration and Modernization
The Meiji Restoration of 1868 marked a pivotal shift in Japan’s political landscape, transferring power from the Tokugawa shogunate to Emperor Meiji. The new government embarked on comprehensive reforms to modernize Japan along Western lines, including the abolition of the feudal system and the establishment of a centralized administrative structure. These changes significantly diminished the privileges of the samurai class, as their traditional roles became incompatible with the nation’s modernization efforts. (britannica.com)
