Final answer:
Japan's success as a resource-limited archipelago is attributed to its focus on human capital and technology, strategic colonial expansions for resources, and its ability to become a global manufacturing powerhouse like the Asian economic tigers.
Step-by-step explanation:
Japan experienced success despite being an archipelago with limited raw materials primarily through C) Focus on Human Capital and Technology. By investing in manufacturing and technological advancements, Japan utilized value-added profits to create wealth. During the colonial era, Japan expanded into peripheral countries which allowed it to access labor and resources essential for its industrial growth. Additionally, similar to Asian economic tigers such as Hong Kong and Taiwan, Japan made significant strides by investing in areas that did not rely heavily on natural resources.
Japan's initial interaction with the West, as exemplified by Commodore Matthew Perry's expedition in 1853, eventually led to Western influence and the acceleration of industrialization. Despite its geographic isolation and frequent challenges like earthquakes due to its tectonic activity, Japan maximized its artisanal skills, island agriculture, and urbanized population to further its economic agenda. During the post-WWII era, Japan's remarkable recovery and economic development were marked by becoming a major player in international manufacturing and leveraging strategic relationships.
Japan's ambition to become a colonial power like Great Britain further prompted it to acquire territories rich in resources. With colonies in Taiwan, Korea, and parts of China and Russia, Japan sourced necessary raw materials and utilized the local workforce to fuel its industrial expansion. These strategic moves were integral to Japan's emergence as a world power by the end of the nineteenth century, with significant victories in the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars.