Book summary The book “ The Rise of Modern Japan” explores the rise of Japan to global power through industrialization, starting from the Tokugawa period to the present. The book offers detailed discussions of the most monumental periods in the modernization of Japan. The book offers primary sources to improve the reader’s understanding of Japanese history. To make the book interesting and to support the arguments made, the author includes maps, photos, Japanese art, and excerpts from various literary sources. Some of the topics discussed in the book include the Edo Period, the Meiji Restoration, the modernization crisis, the cost of building a modern state, and the rise of militarism. The First Sino-Japanese War is discussed in detail and the role it played in the rise of Japan. The author discusses the topic from various perspectives including the treaty ports, the unequal treaties, and revision of the treaties, Japanese expansionism, and the origin of the war during the Meiji period. The author puts the war in a historical context by discussing the events that led to poor relations between Japan and China. The war is discussed in detail and provides insights into the role it played in the rise of Japan as well as the downfall of China. Introduction The First Opium War and the Sino-Japanese War were supremacy battles that involved Japan and China and influenced their influence in the politics of Asia. The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between the Empire of Japan and China’s Qing Empire (Zachmann 64). They were fighting for the control of Korea. The Qing Empire’s loss was an overt indication of the empire’s failure to modernize its military forces and prevent other territories to form threatening its sovereignty (Cassel 72). After the loss, regional supremacy shifted from China to Japan, an occurrence that was least expected because of China’s military and economic dominance in East Asia. The loss had severe political ramifications because the prestige of the Qing Empire and the supremacy of Chinese traditions in East Asia were undermined (Zachmann 64). The First Opium War was fought between the Qing Dynasty and the United Kingdom. The two entities fought because of their conflicting viewpoints regarding the treatment of Chinese nationals. Key points of conflict included trade, diplomatic relations, and administration of justice. China and Japan took different approaches during both wars that had a varied political and economic outcome. The Meiji Restoration transformed Japan into an industrialized nation that embraced modernization, sent students to foreign countries to study, and welcome foreigners into the country (Cassel 77). In contrast, China remained weak due to military corruption and the prevention of foreigners from entering the country. The success of Japan in both wars marked a turning point in its industrialization while China’s loss and seclusion hampered its efforts to embrace industrialization. The First Opium War The First Opium War was fought between the United Kingdom and China and began after china attempted to smother the opium trade (Andree 50). Since the 18 th Century, British traders had benefited from the illegal export of opium from India to China. Ho