Final answer:
Japan's focus on manufacturing and foreign trade was a driving force behind its population growth, urbanization, and territorial expansion, which collectively transformed Japan into a major economic and military power in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question concerns which of the listed factors contributed to the others in the context of Japan's economic development. After the loss of its colonies following World War II, Japan emphasized manufacturing and foreign trade, bolstering its economy by engaging in extensive networks of trade to acquire raw materials needed for its growing industrial sector, especially in densely populated areas such as Tokyo. Furthermore, the government encouraged population expansion through emigration policies and the population of Japan nearly doubled between 1872 and 1925, reflecting a larger workforce contributing to the country's industrialization. Japan also expanded its territory and seized more land in mainland Asia, including parts of Sakhalin Island from Russia and Manchuria from China, which provided the raw materials and labor needed to fuel its manufacturing growth.
Japan's rapid industrialization and emphasis on manufacturing and foreign trade were key factors that facilitated its population growth, dense urbanization, and territorial expansion. This industrialization made Japan competitive on the world stage, culminating in its military successes, such as the defeat of China in the Sino-Japanese War and the defeat of Russia, signaling its emergence as a world power.