Japan transformed into an imperial economic power after opening its ports in 1853.

Evidence

After Commodore Perry’s forced opening of the Japanese ports in 1853 and 1854, Japan resumed sustained contact with the outside world. It had learnt that no nation would be allowed to opt out of the global economic system. Japanese prints were exported in large numbers to Europe, where they were quickly discovered and celebrated by artists like Whistler, Van Gogh and Monet; the Japanese artist who had been so influenced by European prints now influenced the Europeans in return. — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 1426

Categorization

• XREF: This ties into the themes of globalization and cultural exchange. — connects to: Japan’s isolation and official-national model drove its imperialist turn — Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities: Reflections on…, 373
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 1426