The best response is:
Because Japan thought that industrializing countries of Western Europe and the U.S. would gain a lot of power, Japan felt it needed to industrialize also.
Japan recognized that the industrialized nations were gaining significant economic and military power, and to avoid being left behind and to protect its sovereignty, Japan pursued industrialization in the late 19th century. This led to the Meiji Restoration, where Japan rapidly modernized its economy, military, and infrastructure.