<P> As Japan modernized and built a strong economy and military, the smaller country grew in power . Friction between China and Japan arose from the 1870s from Japan's control over the Ryukyu Islands, rivalry for political influence in Korea and trade issues . Japan, having built up a stable political and economic system with a small but well - trained army and navy, surprised the world with its easy victory over China in the First Sino - Japanese War of 1894 - 95 . Japanese soldiers massacred the Chinese after capturing Port Arthur on the Liaotung Peninsula . In the harsh Treaty of Shimonoseki of April 1895, China recognize the independence of Korea, and ceded to Japan Formosa, the Pescatores Islands and the Liaotung Peninsula . China further paid an indemnity of 200 million silver taels, opened five new ports to international trade, and allowed Japan (and other Western powers) to set up and operate factories in these cities . However, Russia, France, and Germany saw themselves disadvantaged by the treaty and in the Triple Intervention forced Japan to return the Liaotung Peninsula in return for a larger indemnity . The only positive result for China came when those factories led the industrialization of urban China, spinning off a local class of entrepreneurs and skilled mechanics . </P> <P> Japanese troops participated in the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 . The Chinese were again forced to pay another huge indemnity, but Japan was pressured to accept much less by the United States . Rivalries between the imperialist nations and the American Open Door Policy prevented China from being carved up into many colonies . On the other hand, the Japanese government and individuals provided assistance to Sun Yat - sen and other members of the Tongmenghui who were instrumental in the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China . </P> <P> Japanese and British military forces in 1914 liquidated Germany's holdings in China . Japan occupied the German military colony in Qingdao, and occupied portions of Shandong Province . China was financially chaotic, highly unstable politically, and militarily very weak . Its best hope was to attend the postwar peace conference, and hope to find friends would help block the threats of Japanese expansion . China declared war on Germany in August 1917 as a technicality to make it eligible to attend the postwar peace conference . They planned to send a combat unit to the Western Front, but never did so . British diplomats were afraid that the U.S. and Japan would displace Britain's leadership role in the Chinese economy . They sought to play Japan and the United States against each other, while at the same time maintaining cooperation among all three nations against Germany . </P> <P> In January 1915, Japan secretly issued an ultimatum of Twenty - One Demands to the Chinese government . They included Japanese control of former German rights, 99 year leases in southern Manchuria, an interest in steel mills, and concessions regarding railways . China did have a seat at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 . However it was refused a return of the former German concessions and China had to accept the Twenty - One demands . A major reaction to this humiliation was a surge in Chinese nationalism expressed in the May Fourth Movement . </P>

Which of the following countries did not experience influence of chinese traditions