User: From the passage provided, extract the what were some of the key years and discoveries of portuguese maritime exploration?
Assistant: In 1419, the portuguese started their maritime explorations along the West Africa's coast. The goal was to reach India by sea, by going around Africa. In 1488, Bartolomeu Dias reaching the Cape of Good Hope and entered the Indian Ocean. In 1498, Vasco da Gama finally reached India.
By 1500 also reached discovered Brazil and reached Japan in 1542.