By 1890, when the first Diet elections were held, the foundations of a
new Empire had been laid. In the few short years since 1868, the old
feudal society had undergone a profound change. Agriculture was still
the key to Japan’s economy, but factory industry and foreign trade were
growing in importance. A strong centralized state had come into being.
Modern methods were revolutionizing science, education, medicine, law
and many other fields. There was an army recruited through universal
service and trained in Western ways, and the beginnings of a modern
navy.