The Empire of Japan ((Kyūjitai: 大日本帝國; Shinjitai: 大日本帝国; Romaji: Dai Nippon Teikoku; officially Great Japan or Empire of Great Japan; (more widely known as Imperial Japan or the Japanese Empire) was a political entity that existed between the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until its defeat in the Great Pacific War and Revolution in 1946. Succeeded by the Democratic Republic of Japan.