some definitions of a former empire (by Wikipedia). data found tonight.

Empire of JapanMain PageCommunity PortalFeatured contentCurrent eventsRecent changesRandom articleHelpContact Wikipedia

The Empire of Greater Japan (: 大日本帝國; Shinjitai: 大日本帝国; pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku), also known as Empire of Japan, Imperial Japan, and the Japanese Empire refers to Japan when it was ruled under the Constitution of the Empire of Japan from November 9, 1867 to September 2, 1945. The Emperors during this time, which spanned the Meiji, Taisho and Showa eras, were Mutsuhito, Yoshihito and Hirohito. After World War II the empire dissolved and became modern Japan. Notable events during this imperial period were the return of power to the Emperor on November 9, 1867, the Abolition of the Han system on July 14, 1871, the country's rapid industrialization and militarization under the slogan Fukoku Kyohei (Enrich the Country, Strengthen the Military) , leading to its emergence as a world power, the expansion of the Empire into Southeast Asia and the Pacific, including China and Korea, and its participation in the Axis Powers alliance. The Empire of Japan surrendered to the Allies on September 2, 1945 after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki after a long Pacific War against the Allies (mostly the United States) of World War II. A period known as Occupied Japan followed the surrender and dissolution of the Empire and a new constitution was created with multinational input. The American occupation and reconstruction of the country continued well into the 1950s.

Full Article
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.