My understanding of the Japanese rule of China is that it was a good approximation of the violence and barbarity of the Age of Exploration. Rapine, murder, the slaughter of thousands, plague and lies. A savage enslavement of people that believed them to be gods, to have been prophesied of in their ancient texts, is what I recall I was taught of the Conquistadors.
I have never thought empire was a good thing.
I translated @valued-customer's words to mean he doesn't know why Japan envys imperialism. I first reveal that English is awkward and that I am not a historian. It's just my personal opinion. First, let's start with the relationship between Japan and Age of Discovery of Europe( Era dos Descobrimentos, Era das Grandes Navegações) in the 16th century.
In the 16th century, Spain and Portugal sailed the world's oceans, constructing Europe's first overseas colonial empires. California, where @ valued-customer lives, was first discovered by Conquistador among Europeans. Britain was a poor country when Spain and Portugal were discovering and exploring the new continent.
Spain and Portugal have advanced beyond the Pacific to East Asia. When the Spanish and Portuguese arrived, China was ruled by the Ming Dynasty.
Americans and Europeans would misunderstand that Japan in the 16th century would have been a western developed country as it is today. However, for Koreans and Chinese in the 16th century, Japan was a country similar to European Vikings. The Ming Dynasty of China and the Joseon Dynasty of Korea suffered from the Japanese invasion of pirates. So, Korea and China allied and isolated Japan.
China had invented the world's first gunpowder, guns and cannons. So, Korea and China developed gunpowder weapons and defeated Japanese pirates. In particular, it was strictly forbidden to introduce gunpowder manufacturing methods into Japan. So, Japan hasn't been able to make gunpowder weapons for a long time, but Europeans have exported gunpowder weapons to Japan. The nightmare between Korea and China began as the Portuguese, who had wrecked Japan, exported musket guns to the Japanese.
Koreans and Chinese prohibited the spread of gunpowder weapons to Japan, and Europeans gave gunpowder weapons to Japan. With the gunpowder weapons given by the Portuguese, Japan formed a unified nation, and as Japan invaded Korea, Korean and Chinese alliance fought a devastating war with Japan. Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598)
Korea and China were afraid that Japan would become a power when producing gunpowder weapons. In particular, the damage that Korea suffered from the Japanese invasion was huge. After the war, South Korea and China allied and again isolated Japan. Japan, isolated from the East Asian trade, was actively engaged in trade with Europe. The Nanban trade (南蛮貿易, Nanban bōeki, "Southern barbarian trade")
When I say this, I would be surprised by Westerners, but from ancient times, Japan was recognized as a viking by Koreans and Chinese. Currently, the United States has developed Japan as a western developed country, but Korea and China have ignored Japan as pirates. Japan, which has been neglected by Korea and China since ancient times, tried to conquer East Asia like European empires, and to take pride in it.
When Japan became the second largest economy in the United States since the 1980s, Japan wanted to become a European empire again.Japan had a larger economy than the United Kingdom, France and Spain. Modern Japan trying to rise to the position of the European Empire with its economic power.
Korea and China did not recognize Japan as a leader in East Asia, although Japan became an economic power. So, Japan created a game of Uncharted Waters (originally released as Daikoukai Jidai (大航海時代, Daikōkai Jidai), "Great Age of Sailing") to promote the greatness of Japan to Koreans and Chinese.
Uncharted Waters (originally released as Daikoukai Jidai (大 k 海 時代, Daikōkai Jidai), "Great Age of Sailing") reveals the desire of Japanese people to have foreign colonies like European empires.
The reason why modern Japan is creating anime, manga, and games is also to promote the fact that Japan is a country equal to the United States and Europe to Koreans and Chinese. Japanese are enticing Koreans to ally with Japan, a developed country that is comparable to the United States rather than backward and brutal China.
Many Koreans and Chinese who enjoy Japanese-made anime, manga, and games recognize Japan as a country equal to the United States and Europe.
So, the Japanese respect and beautify the history of European colonial conquest.
I say that the above is entirely my personal opinion and research. Of course, other people's comments on errors and misunderstandings are welcome.