Chinese emperor Guangxu in 1898: http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/eastasia/1898kuantsu2.asp

“Our scholars are now without solid and practical education; our artisans are without scientific instructors; when compared with other countries, we see how weak we are. Does any one think that our troops are as well-drilled or as well-led as those of the foreign armies? Or that we can successfully stand against them?”

See also Tokutomi Sohō's 1886 "the future of Japan," which argues for Japanese democracy on the grounds that Europe is powerful because it is democratic, and Japan needs to follow their example.