>>17839991
There was no one more important than China in regards to foreign relations at the time. Japan was some backwater island nation of no real importance, and China was literally the entire world. Not exactly even footing for negotiations. If you are Japan, how do you appear legitimate and respectable to the Emperor of China (aka Ruler of the Known World)? You have no hope of over-awing the King of the World with your laughable military "might", so you must impress him by showing you are just as sophisticated and sagacious as his own courtiers. Problem: you are a bunch of jumped up bumpkins who are not even literate. Solution: copy their writing system, learn all their great literary works until you are conversant in them, and then start creating your own literary works in imitation of these so you appear just as venerable and storied as they are.
