* Overthrew the Tokugawa shogunate and restored imperial rule.
* Adopted a Western-style constitution and legal system.
* Promoted education and industrialization.
* Encouraged foreign investment and technology transfer.
Satsuma-Chōshū Alliance (1866)
* Alliance between two powerful clans, Satsuma and Chōshū, that led to the Meiji Restoration.
* The alliance was based on a common goal of overthrowing the Tokugawa shogunate and modernizing Japan.
Iwakura Mission (1871-1873)
* Diplomatic mission to the United States and Europe led by Iwakura Tomomi, a prominent Japanese statesman.
* The mission's goal was to learn from Western countries and adopt their best practices in government, education, and industry.
Feudal System Reforms
* Abolition of the feudal system and establishment of a centralized government.
* Land reforms that redistributed land to peasants and encouraged agricultural production.
Industrial Policies
* Encouragement of domestic industries through subsidies, loans, and tariffs.
* Investment in infrastructure, such as roads, railways, and telegraph lines.
* Establishment of government-owned factories and shipyards.
Foreign Influence
* Influenced by Western ideas and technology, especially from the United States, Britain, and Germany.
* Adoption of Western industrial machinery, techniques, and management practices.
Education
* Establishment of a modern education system that emphasized science, technology, and engineering.
* Sending of students to study abroad in Western countries.
Zaibatsu
* Rise of large industrial conglomerates, such as Mitsubishi, Mitsui, and Sumitomo.
* Played a key role in Japan's industrialization and economic development.
Labor
* Rapid industrialization led to a shortage of skilled labor.
* Use of female and child labor in factories and mines.
* Emergence of labor unions and social movements.