Paraphrase this passage from Document 8. No matter the cost, Japan's own security and economic survival had to be considered ahe
ad of Asian values. Unless Japan became more powerful, there was no way to save East Asia from the west. Japan could only be made powerful through the economic exploitation of its neighbors. –Document 8: William Beasley, Japanese Imperialism, 1987
Asia was under threat from Western imperialist powers, and many believed that Japan had to put its own interests first. The only way East Asia could survive was if Japan became more powerful, and the only way that could occur was through the economic exploitation of other nations in the region.
Japan's imperialism was justified as a way to protect East Asia from the West. The idea was that only by taking advantage of its neighbors, could Japan become economically powerful. And this economic power, along with safety, became very important to the country, more so than maintaining traditional Asian values. Because it was considered so important, any action was justified in order to achieve it.
