Okay kiddo, so do you know what Japan is? It's a country, right? Well, a long time ago, Japan was ruled by the Emperor and the Samurai. They were very strong and powerful, but they didn't really like talking to other countries. They wanted to keep to themselves and do their own thing.
But one day, in the late 1800s, a new Emperor named Meiji came along. He was a little different from the old ones because he wanted to start talking to other countries more. He wanted Japan to become friends with other countries and learn new things from them. This was called the "Meiji Restoration".
So, Meiji Japan started sending diplomats, or people who talk to other countries, to other nations around the world. They made alliances, which means they became friends with other countries. They also made treaties, which is kind of like a promise to do something. For example, they made a treaty with the United States that said they would allow Americans to trade with Japanese ports.
Meiji Japan also learned a lot from other countries. They sent students to study in other countries and they even hired foreign experts to help teach them things like technology, science, and government.
Overall, the foreign relations of Meiji Japan were about making new friends, learning new things, and making promises to other countries. They wanted to be more involved with the rest of the world instead of just keeping to themselves.