Simple question; Would Japan have entered WW1 if Britain stayed neutral? Why or why not? I know that Japan coveted Germany's Pacific territories and seized the chance to take them but I don't know if that would be enough to cause them to join on their own. Also, I assume that Japan would be joining the Entente side but is that necessarily true?
Would Japan Join?
- Thread starter Captain Jack
- Start date
NothingNow
Banned
Um, no. Russia and France are the easier marks since France is massively under equiped in the Pacific and the Russian Navy effectively doesn't exist anymore. Plus Russia is the one power the Japanese have an actual grudge against. Also, French Indochina is much more profitable, and industrially useful than Micronesia (because Rubber.)
Plus, there's the whole issue of the IJA being very close to their german counterparts.
If they were to enter the war separate from Britain, and weren't going to just sit by and profiteer off war loans, the choice is really obvious.
It's like the Ottomans not taking the chance to repudiate 70-100% of their outstanding debt from the Crimean war (which was so burdensome as to dictate internal financial policy to an absurd degree.)
Plus, there's the whole issue of the IJA being very close to their german counterparts.
If they were to enter the war separate from Britain, and weren't going to just sit by and profiteer off war loans, the choice is really obvious.
It's like the Ottomans not taking the chance to repudiate 70-100% of their outstanding debt from the Crimean war (which was so burdensome as to dictate internal financial policy to an absurd degree.)
With a Anglo-Japan alliance still intact, the influence of Britain still looms over Japan decisions. You also got Taisho as emperor with policies closer to western democracies which was opposite to his son in OTL. Japan's expansion in OTL ww1 was more of defensive and/or attached to treaties and less aggressive than OTL Showa period.
The only reason I would see Japan attacking Germany, France or Russia is if Britain agrees to it or if Germany,France or Russia attacks Japan first or if Japan had a totally different Emperor.
