To continue expanding its empire, Japan needed large supplies of cotton. rice. oil. water.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is cotton.
Japan’s industrial expansion during the late 19th and early 20th centuries required large quantities of raw materials to fuel its growing manufacturing sector, particularly textiles. Cotton, being a primary raw material for the textile industry, was essential for this purpose. The textile industry was one of the key drivers of Japan’s economic growth during the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912) and into the early 20th century.
Japan’s domestic cotton production was insufficient to meet the demand of its booming textile industry. As a result, Japan turned to foreign sources to import cotton, primarily from countries like India, China, and the United States. The demand for cotton was so significant that it became a key factor in Japan’s imperialistic policies. Japan sought to secure access to cotton-producing regions by expanding its influence and control over neighboring countries.
The need for raw materials like cotton also motivated Japan to adopt a policy of territorial expansion. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan began to establish control over territories such as Taiwan, Korea, and parts of Manchuria. These regions provided not only cotton but also other resources like coal, oil, and agricultural products, further fueling Japan’s industrial growth.
While rice and oil were also important, they were not as directly tied to Japan’s industrialization as cotton. Rice was a staple food and had significant cultural and economic importance, but its role in Japan’s industrial expansion was more about sustaining the population rather than driving industrial production. Oil, while important for energy needs, did not have the same direct link to Japan’s initial industrial growth as cotton did. Water was necessary for various aspects of life and industry but was not a key factor in the empire-building context in the same way cotton was.