What significant event marked the beginning of modern Japan in the Meiji Restoration?

• A. The end of the Tokugawa shogunate
• B. The establishment of a constitution
• C. The start of World War I
• D. The invasion of Korea

Answer: (A)

The end of the Tokugawa shogunate is indeed a pivotal moment that marked the beginning of modern Japan during the Meiji Restoration. The Tokugawa shogunate had ruled Japan for over 250 years and was characterized by isolationist policies and feudal governance. Its collapse in 1868 signaled a profound transformation for Japan, as it opened the way for the Meiji government to implement significant political, social, and economic reforms aimed at modernizing the country.

This period saw Japan adopting Western technologies and practices, which were crucial for its emergence as a modern nation-state. The Meiji Restoration not only paved the way for the end of feudalism but also initiated the process of establishing a government that eventually led to the promulgation of a constitution and the implementation of reforms in education, military, and industry. By abolishing the shogunate and reinstating the emperor as a symbol of unity, the Meiji Restoration laid the foundation for Japan's rapid modernization and emergence on the world stage.

The other options, while related to Japan's history, do not signify the beginning of its modern era as directly as the end of the Tokugawa shogunate. The establishment of a constitution and later events, such as Japan