Japan Trade Dollar

Rather than an inferiority complex at that stage, Japan through the late 1800s was just trying to catch up.
When Japan defeated the Russian fleet at the battle of Tsushima Strait in 1905, the world took notice. It was the next year that Britain rendered all battleships obsolete, with the building of the battleship, HMS Dreadnought. Britain built the first of that new breed for Japan in 1912, the battlecruiser Kongo, with the next 3 in the class built in Japan. Japan's aim BEFORE WW1, was to continue to dominate much of the north western Pacific Ocean.
Japan was nominally on the side of the victors in WW1, and after the war, the US convened the "Washington Naval Conference", which tried to limit the growth of naval power that happened before WW1. However, of the 5 naval powers that attended, US and Britain were "allowed" more battleships and aircraftcarriers in the ratio of 5 to 3 to Japan, and 3 to 1 for France & Italy.
In practical terms, US & Britain could retain or build 15 battleships & 5 aircraftcarriers, to Japan's 9 battleships and 3 aircraft carriers. Japan was affronted, and at that point made to feel like they were inferior partners. Although they signed the Washington Naval Treaty in 1922, they later withdrew, and went about building up their fleet. It was this snubbing that placed Japan on a collision course later, and militaristic footing through the late 1920s and 1930s.

 

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Your knowledge of Japanese history is correct. I do believe though that the Japanese military and thus its government maintained an inferiority complex that ultimately led to WWII.

 

Back in 1500s, Japan was a power silver supplier - issuing about 30% (!) of the global silver supply. Despite Japan not being a big gold producer today, historically many of the mines produced a lot of gold and silver. Think about it - gold are often deposited from volcanic activities and Japan sitting on top of four tectonic plates. It's no brainer that Japan is very rich in gold; just not mining due to environmental concerns. I believe the economic recovery gold per ton is around 1g/ton and 5g/ton is concerned to be generous. Japan's ore deposits ranged from 20-200g+/ton which is very, very rich!

It was the US trade that forced a lot of gold being taken out of the country, and you can only imagine how many koban and oban were melted down.