I would like to ask the help of you kind people in answering a few of my questions. This would in-turn help me create or at the very least create a plausible scenario of another world power in asia that would butt-heads with Japan during the OTL WW2 pacific war.
First Query
[Making Guns] -
What does it take to support an Industry located in South East Asia centered on weapons making, particularly making guns, cannons plus the munitions they used during 1896.
Is it possible for the Sultanate of Sulu or Brunei or even Siam to create and support the above mention industries.
Second Query
[Hiring Foreigners] -
I red about Japan that during the Meiji revolution they begun hiring foreigners to help them catch up with the rest of Europe, industry and military-wise.
[THANKS in advance.]
Are these people individuals that can be hire without too much diplomatic repercussion provided that they don't die in your country while teaching or building stuff?