Question

How were japan and china economically different from each other by the end of the 19th century?

Answer 1

At the end of the 20th Century, Japan had emerged as a modern nation. The Meiji Government adopted modern political and economic reforms that they learned from the West.  It enabled them to remain independent and emerged as a powerful nation.  China on the other hand was under the influence of Western nations who now had a hold on the country.  It was only after World War II that China was once again an independent and powerful nation.

Answer 2

Japan was a successfully industrialized country with a sizable army and a strong economy, while China's economy remained weak and vulnerable to the interferences of imperial countries.