What was the relationship between japan and the united states in the early 1900s?

It was tense, to say the least.

The United States and the Empire of Japan were tense economic rivals up until World War II. Both were jockeying to be dominant powers in the Pacific Rim while the US and Japan both instituted racially motivated policies that excluded the other and its citizens from opportunities in their respective countries.

the answer is a. since they were a huge producer of cotton and wanted the most money for it.