It has been debated ever since Japan became the first non-western developed nation in the late 19th century, shocking the world by defeating Russia in war in 1904-05.

19世纪末，日本成为第一个非西方的发达国家，并在1904至1905年的日俄战争中打败俄国，这震惊了整个世界，自从那时开始就有了围绕这个观点的辩论。