Japan opened its ports in 1854 and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power. After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become an economic power and a US ally. The emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, but elected politicians hold the decision-making power. CIA’s World Factbook is a public resource providing basic information on 258 world entities, including country profiles and on