Japan's industrialization during the Meiji period was a rapid, state-led process.

The government's goal was to catch up with the Western powers to avoid being colonized.

The Meiji government invested heavily in building modern infrastructure, including railways, telegraph lines, and shipyards.

It established model factories in key industries like textiles and armaments, which were later sold to private investors.

This policy led to the rise of large family-controlled industrial and financial conglomerates known as 'zaibatsu.'

The government actively promoted education, creating a highly literate and skilled workforce.

Japanese missions were sent abroad to learn Western technology, and foreign experts were hired to advise on industrial projects.

The silk industry was a key source of export revenue that funded the import of Western machinery.

Japan became the first non-Western nation to successfully undergo a full-scale industrial revolution.

This rapid industrialization provided the foundation for Japan's emergence as a major military and imperial power.