Japan: History

A U.S. fleet forces Japan to open its market to foreign influence, ending 200 years of self-imposed isolation.

The Empire of Japan is proclaimed and the country enters a period of rapid industrialization and trading dominance over East Asia.

China cedes Taiwan to Japan and permits Japan to trade on the mainland after being defeated by Japan in a war lasting nine months.

After three years of fighting, Japan annexes Korea. Japan is now among the world's leading powers.

Japan declares war on China, invading the country and capturing Shanghai, Beijing, and Nanjing. Japan occupies China until the end of World War II.

Japan attacks a United States naval fleet in the Pacific, prompting the U.S. and their main allies to declare war on Japan.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki are devastated by atomic bombs dropped by the United States; Emperor Hirohito and Japan surrender. 

Japan regains its independence after being controlled by the U.S. military government since 1945.

Japan's economy enters a severe recession amidst the Asian financial crisis. 

A trade dispute with China occurs after Japan imposes import tariffs on Chinese agricultural products. China retaliates with import taxes on Japanese manufactured goods.

A deal is reached with China for the joint development of a gas field in the East China Sea.

Japan faces its worst economic crisis since World War II after the economy shrank by over 3% in the final quarter of the year due to the steep fall in external demand. 

Japan is overtaken by China as the world's second-largest economy.

Japan restarts nuclear reactor for first time since Fukushima disaster.