Talk:Fire Nation colonies/@comment-5475207-20130112133058/@comment-5888498-20130210215529

No, because in the first war, it started due to claims over Korea [China was not the primary target], and it escalated into a full-blown war, which eventually ended with the loss of <> sovereignity over Korea, concesssions to imperialist powers [mainly european, later japan] AND the start of the russia-japan dispute over Manchuria.

So, the japanese objective of the war was not to invade/take China itself, but to expand its influence over Asia by conquering one of long-term chinese allies [kingdom of Korea]. And to 'launch' itself as an adversary/rival to the Western [europe and russia at the time] powers.

All of that was an event that occured due to the  Weakening of chinese influence in Asia, after the 2 opium wars, sino-french wars and concessions, etc etc. Japan was that as opportunity to exploit it further, and take claims over former chinese allies, specially Korea.

Besides, we already know that japan was imitating western countries, and unlike the fn it needed to learn from foreign nations to industrialize blah blah.