Meiji-style thinking outdated

Japan will be the loser if it fails to heed the lessons of the past and dares to revive its military expansion nowadays

In the mid-19th century, a sense of national crisis arose in East Asia, as the traditional Sino-centric sphere of order was challenged by Western powers such as the United Kingdom. Japan's diplomatic strategy in Asia was closely related to its outlook on China, and this crisis prompted an about-face in its outlook toward its neighbor.

In the early days of the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912), Confucianism lost favor and followers in Japan, as it was viewed as inferior to the "real learning" of the West. Despite debates about Confucianism and total Westernization in the early period, Japan's rising strength and political and military ambitions allowed ultranationalism to emerge from the wave of nationalism, which then served as spiritual guidance for the Meiji government to embark on its invasion of Asia.