Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, which marked the beginning of its aggressive expansion in Asia prior to World War II.

The Hakone Ekiden, a long-distance relay race held annually between Tokyo and Hakone, is one of the most prestigious races in Japanese college athletics.

The Taisho period, which lasted from 1912 to 1926, was marked by political instability and social change, including the rise of labor unions and women's rights movements.