As Japan had participated in international exhibitions since the end of the Edo period, it began to actively hold 'the National Industrial Exhibitions' as a means of fukoku kyohei (fortifying the country, strengthening the military) in the Meiji period.
国際博覧会への参加自体は幕末から始まっていたが、明治の世になると富国強兵の手段として盛んに「内国勧業博覧会」というものが開催された。