Imperialism has existed for many years and has displayed many differing forms. It is a naturally occurring event that has a vast and complex history. Major world powers have been striving to expand their relative power and at the same time provide for their people. From the earliest civilizations groups of individuals set out to improve their well being at the expense of others. When examining more modern imperialism there is little variation from this view. Countries all over the world depend on their colonies to meet the needs of their nation. The world has become transformed and many changes have occurred based on situations resulting from imperialism. There are processes towards basic imperialism that can be labelled as fundamental. Japan's imperial experience in Korea, for example, differs from what the "West" experienced in Africa and Asia in several ways. The 19th and 20th centuries displayed a gre

In conclusion, Korea experienced a different type of rule from the Japanese then India, China, or any African countries experienced from the Western powers. As well, Japan experienced different struggles and results than the West because of the differing fundamental strategies and practises. Japan's drive to empire appears to be not a consequence of rational planning designed to achieve objectives, such as the provision of national security or material advantages, as was the case with the West. Japan's decisions regarding imperialism were more reactionary to outside pressures than any planned out strategies and the resulting outcomes were a consequence of such. The West had certain motivations that were their driving force to expand, but the Japanese simply entered Korea to increase the amount of power they had and did not have regard for the Korean society. The West had such a major hold over the world that it was not particularly necessary to focus on exploiting one country. Japan's fundamental practises were much different from the West's gradual plans partially because of the nature of the Japanese society. Such ruthless changes to Korean traditions was an aspect where the West stayed relatively safely from. Japanese imperialism directed a harsh capitalist reform of Korea where intervention was necessary from other observing world powers. Otherwise, complete domination would have existed for some time. Therefore, it is a valid categorization to view Japan's rule over Korea as different from what the West experienced with their expansion.

Imperialism and colonialism can be explained fundamentally to be able to better observe the differences between the methods and reactions that Japan and the West encounter. Imperialism is generally defined as a system of constraint and control exercised over the people and territories. It can be politically controlled or not depending on the need of the nation. Colonialism varies from imperialism in that it does not necessarily impose rule over the tributary countries, but merely controls trade and foreign relations. Alteration of the local political structure often occurred if the ruling country deemed it necessary. For example, expansion in India, where the state was taken over, was quite different from that in China, where the state was maintained but society was influenced. Whatever the differences, the main goals of establishing a colony by imperial or colonial means is to better the home country by exploiting others. There are many motivations towards expanding the reach of a country. Desire for new knowledge, the spread of religion, and the search for allies are all desired components of expansion. However, economic motives seem to lead the group. Imperialism is seen as an integral component of global capitalism. By the 1900's imperialism was driving the capitalist world economy and expanding it tremendously. The search for new sources of wealth was key to the West. Japan differed from the West in this respect. Japanese society in this period bore very little resemblance to Western capitalist societies, regardless of the basic economic imperialist theories. Economic motivation was not completely disregarded, but it was simply not the main reason for the decision to expand in the case of the Japanese. The West wanted to take complete advantage of all of the opportunities expansion can provide. They wanted a cheap supply of consumer goods and of raw materials, a new market for their exports, a way to avoid taxing tariffs (especially in the Orient where spices and luxury items were a premium), and a new and rich supply of natural resources. Imperialism offered those aspects of economic returns and the West demonstrated just how beneficial it could be.

Japan and the West seemed to have different purposes behind expanding their country's reach on the world. The West developed an imperial experience relatively naturally. As they got more modernized t

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