"Due to the lack of resources in Japanese home islands, raw materials such as iron, oil, and coal largely had to be imported. The success of Japan in securing Taiwan (1895) and Korea (1910) had brought Japan primarily agricultural colonies. In terms of resources, the Japanese military looked towards Manchuria's iron and coal, Indochina's rubber, and China's vast resources."
Japan had, and still has a high volume of people in a very small area. In order to expand, and survive in an industrial world, she needed a strong military. This she had. But famously as stated by the 19th century historian, Lord Dalberg-Acton, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute
power
corrupts absolutely." Thus happened in Japan. The Military did not have to
answer to any civilian authority. So, there was nothing to keep them from
getting what they wanted. They actually were in control of many aspects of
civilian government, instead of it being the other way around. The
Depression, Japan's anger at the 5:5:3 rules stemming from the
Washington
Naval Treaty in 1921, and anger at the civilian government, as well as
the West, combined to form a belief among the citizenry that the country
would be run best by the military. After 1932, the Military Effectively
controlled the country.
