War with China

• In 1894, Japan went to war with China over rights to Korea. The war barely lasted a year, with Japan winning dominance over Korea.
  
  

War with Russia

• Lasting from 1904 to 1905, Japan fought with Russia over the regions of Manchuria and Sakhalin. The victory over Russia resulted in the Treaty of Portsmouth.
  
  

World War I

• Japan was aligned with the United States and other Allied countries during World War I. The victory and the Treaty of Versailles helped to boost Japan's status to one of the world's dominant military powers.
  
  

World War II

• During World War II, Japan aligned with Germany and Italy to form the Axis powers. They were forced to surrender after the United States dropped the atomic bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
  
  

Military Facts About Japan

• Japanese military forces are divided into ground, maritime and air divisions. The government maintains a Minister of Defense who heads up a Security Counsel for all military decisions.