Why did Japan industrialize?

Answer 1

In 1853, when the US Navy's Commodore Perry sailed his "warships" into Japanese waters, he opened Japan's culture to the outside world. They had lived in their own "sealed kingdom" (self imposed isolation) before then. When Japan saw the mini-locomotive trains, and latest cannons & hand held firearms (small arms), combined with how easy it was for a foreigner like the US Navy to enter their harbor un-opposed; they knew, if they were to survive, they had to be able to compete on "an equal basis!" This called for "Industrialization!"

Answer 2

Before industrialization (about 1780 onwards) Britain was a - the even the - leading trading country of the time; it was capitalist (despite some latter-day 'feudal' flummery) and it had the main Natural Resources required at the time - coal and iron ore. Britain was also free from internal customs barriers and constituted a large and relatively domestic market. Britain also had the advantage of being in Western Europe, on the Atlantic seaboard.