ABSTRACT
The determination of the Meiji founders to build a rich country and a strong military was translated into a feverish absorption in learning and applying the secrets of an industrial West. Foreign trade started from zero in 1860 and had reached 10 percent of the gross national product by 1900. Economic expansion continued unabated until military involvement on the continent of China began to change the purpose and direction of the nation’s economy. The resources of the colonies of Taiwan and Korea were mobilized, and after 1937, with the eruption of the so-called China Incident, the nation was, to all intents and purposes, on a war footing. A study of economic characteristics and cultural priorities should include the importance given by Japanese society to public service. Competition to enter key ministries is fierce for college graduates, and once they are accepted by a prestigious ministry, their future is bright.
