The Allied occupation of Japan following World War II brought about major political and social changes, including the drafting of a new constitution and the abolition of the samurai class.

The Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century saw the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate and the modernization of Japan.

During the Edo period, which lasted from the 17th to the mid-19th century, Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa shogunate and experienced a period of peace and stability.