The thesis essentially deals with the restoration of imperial rule in Japan. After the great battle of Sekigahara in 1600, the power structure passed into the hands of the Tokugawa shogunate, which fundamentally changed Japan with its policies. After two and a half centuries, the majority of the population began to question the dynasty's isolated political system. The thesis will focus on the issues that led to the collapse of the shogunate's military power; the emphasis will be on samurai, peasant, foreign policy and cultural issues, all of which will also be presented in the light of the penetration of foreign forces into Japan. The Meiji Restoration, the result of unresolved issues, represents a political upheaval as elites loyal to the emperor regain power and remake Japan into a modern country by Western standards.
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