The Meiji Constitution of November 29, 1890, was the law of the Empire of Japan until May 2, 1947. After the Maiji Restauration of 1868, (also known as Revolution), it produced a change in the government producing a form of constitutional monarquy in which the Emperor of Japan was an active ruler with great political power, shared with an elected diet. Japan underwent a period of sweeping political, social-economical, and military transformation aimed at strengthening the Empire to the level of the powers of the Western world. Their first war against China in 1894 produced their control over the Korea peninsula, Taiwan, Pescadores and the Liaodong Peninsula. In 1904, they went to war against Russia and took over Manchuria, Port Arthur and control of the Yellow sea. These developments converted Japan into a major military power to be recognized by the other major military nations in their future dealings with Japan.
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