World War II
In 1941, the Japanese had launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This had drew the previously neutral United States into World War II. This cause Japan to be in two wars, one with Asia, and one, mostly, agains the United States. Because Japan had decided to bring Asia under it's control, this aligned with Germany and Italy's ideals of bringing the world under it's control. Japan had then joined the Axis Powers. Although in Asia Japan was having great success, against the United States, there were many failures, including the Battle of Midway Island. The United States had decided to end the war quickly with the dropping of the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After World War II, the United States had created military bases in Japan, including the the Okinawan base that is still here today. General Douglas MacArthur was then stationed in Japan and was appointed as the military governor of Japan. This had led MacArthur to help Japan create a new constitution. Hirohito had lost most of his power at this point and became more of a figurehead than an actual leader. Below, here is a Youtube video reenactment of the first time MacArthur and Hirohito had met.