Introduction Before the 19 th century, many Far East countries such as Japan, Korea, and China had encountered a long period of isolation from the rest of the world. 1 However, the emergence of foreign trade during the period led to numerous pressures on Japan and China to engage in the practice. Historians have indicated clearly that these nations had not developed new military tools and technologies. Consequently, Japan and China were unable to resist the imperialism of the Western nations such as the United States and Britain. These developments explain why the Far East nations were characterized by a unique interplay of imperialism and isolationism throughout the 19 th and 20 th centuries. This discussion gives a detailed analysis of this interplay and how the nations reacted to the situation. Coping with Imperialist Threats One of the most agreeable facts is that the imperialism of the Western nations was something unstoppable especially in the early years of the 19 th century. Britain began to pressure China to engage in open trade. The Chinese leaders’ decision to reject such requests created room for conflicts. The issue of opium trade was seen as a major threat to the country (Fig 1). After the Chinese were defeated during the Opium Wars, the Western powers established new treaties characterized by unfair trade. Fig 1: Photo depicting the Opium War. Unlike China, Japan did not engage in wars before accepting international trade. Japan signed the Treaty of Kanagawa while China signed the Treaty of Nanking. However, it is agreeable that China took long to acknowledge the superiority of the Western nations. The work “Letter to the English Ruler” indicates that the barbarians were using Chinese wealth and resources to profit themselves. 2 At the same time, the Chinese people were unhappy with different products such as opium that were sold in the country. The author of the letter indicated that the country had implemented new laws to prosecute every person who either sold or smoked opium. It is also notable that “the Western Barbarians, bent on power and profit, had devised techniques and machines by which to subvert or conquer the civilized world. 3 After the treaties were signed, many Chinese leaders continued to oppose the developments associated with the West. However, China embraced the need to study the aspects of the Western militaries and adopt their methods. By so doing, China would be able to reassert its position in the global arena. Additionally, China began to analyze the unique weaknesses of the West such as disunity and self-interestedness. The best strategy was to improve its strategies and reassert China’s position. Looking at the case of Japan, new Western ideas were borrowed thus making it easier for the nation to transform its political systems. How Isolation Was Seen as the Best Reaction to Imperialism Infringements According to historians, Japan and China had embraced isolationist tendencies for very many years. With the new wave of imperialism, these countries were opposed to the ideas of the Western countries. Although the nations were ready to be part of foreign trade, it was noticeable that the Western merchants were not allowed to access many towns in the mainland. In China, opium was seen a poisonous and unacceptable product in the country. The