Final answer:
Before the Great Depression, Japan industrialized by utilizing its limited natural resources, expanding its territory to acquire more materials, and focusing on sectors crucial to economic and military power. Investments in China and increased military production influenced Japan's economic rise. Post-World War II rebuilding efforts, including aid from the United States and expanded trade, further facilitated Japan's industrialization.
Step-by-step explanation:
Japan sought to industrialize rapidly before the Great Depression to become a major economic power. Lacking extensive natural resources at home, Japan utilized resources from its surrounding territories. Initially, they made use of the few resources found in Japan while also investing in coal mining and other essential minerals like lead, iron, and copper. The Japanese government played a significant role in both industry and the expansion, supporting various sectors differently, with a focus on military and industrial development.
Understanding the need for raw materials for their burgeoning industries, Japan expanded territorially, annexing Formosa (Taiwan) and the Korean Peninsula during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This expansion provided Japan with additional resources necessary for industrial growth, allowing them to establish their economic and military power. Japan developed into a core economic country, exploiting peripheral countries for labor and resources. By forming extensive trade networks post-World War II, Japan acquired the raw materials indispensable for its manufacturing sector growth.
An example of this industrial surge is the increase in military production and investments in China during the 1920s, a time when Japan also bolstered its export capabilities. The effects of World War II and the loss of colonies later forced Japan to diversify its raw material sources and increase trade partnerships, particularly with the United States. The reconstruction aid from the United States in Japan's infrastructure also played a role in building the logistics required to support industrialization and trade.