Recognizing the trend was one of the critical reasons Japan had succeeded.
Since the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese Government had been trying to cling to the British, even though John Bull did not take much notice of them and did not accept this eager junior partner.
But decades of consistent effort always earned some impression points. However, in international competition, impression points alone were not enough; what mattered more were opportunities.
For the Japanese, the current situation was undoubtedly the best opportunity. With the international situation changing rapidly, the British, isolated by European society, were in desperate need of allies.
A hegemon has the dignity of a hegemon; Britannia needed allies, not pets, and could not accept just any Tom, Dick, or Harry.
Originally, in the original timeline, Japan had proven its strength in the Jiawu War and was valued by the British, becoming the vanguard against Russia in the Far East.
