Final answer:
The Japanese civilian government pursued a foreign policy of peace and demilitarization after World War I. However, there were nationalist factions that sought to expand Japanese influence in East Asia, leading to the military's takeover of foreign policy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The foreign policy of the Japanese civilian government after World War I was characterized by a desire for peace and demilitarization. The government joined the World War I allies in an effort to reduce militarization in the Pacific and East Asia. It agreed to maintain a smaller navy in the Pacific than the U.S. or Great Britain as part of the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty.
After World War II, the Japanese government accepted the need for peace and recognized that force was not a viable means of protecting Japan and securing economic resources. The post-war Constitution expressed a desire for peace, land reform aimed to empower small farmers, and union membership was supported in the industrial sector. However, militarily, Japan was severely restricted, with no standing army allowed and a prohibition on going to war in the future.
It's important to note, though, that there were nationalist and ultra-nationalist factions in Japan during this time that sought to expand Japanese influence and believed in the establishment of a dominant power in East Asia. These factions took over Japanese foreign policy, leading to the military's takeover and the pursuit of an expansionistic agenda, particularly in China.