In the 19th century, Japan was trying to modernize its society. The japanese wanted to be taken seriously by other great powers so they copied them. They created a system that takes the whole idea of the czar and creates an emperor that is a god. But it's probably too new to maybe go all france an and britain.
The Asia-Pacific War of 1937-1945 has deep roots. It also involves a Japanese society that's been called one of the most distinctive on Earth. If there were a Japanese version of Captain America, this would be his origin story.