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The Japanese embarked on an aggressive foreign policy in the 1930s due to the
need to gain raw materials for their growing industries. From early 1920s Japans
economy declined steadily after WW1 as the European economies recovered
after the war and thus dominated the markets in Europe and Asia. This put
enormous pressure on Japans manufacturing indusftries as they sought to find
new markets for their industrialised goods. Thus embarking on an aggressive
foreign policy would enable the Japanese to acquire territories overseas in order
to gain raw materials or resources for their industrialisation programme.
This was further aggravated by the effects of the great depression. Japanese
exports dropped by 2/3. The drop in demand for silk affected the industries, as it
depended heavily on import of iron, tin, cotton, rubber and oil.
Moreover the problem worsened when the US imposed taxes on goods entering
the USA to protect their own industries. Japans textile industries were affected.
Japan needed to look for new markets and eventually realised that Japans future
lay in building up a large empire in East Asia. Hence, Japan started to divert
attention to Asia.
Another reason why Japan embarked on an aggressive foreign policy in the
1930s was because of the quest for living space. As japan was mountainous and
unsuitable for settlement.