Before Japan's opening to other Western countries in 1853, Dutch presence in Nagasaki was to a large extent important to Japanese growth.

Rangaku or 'Dutch learning', was the transmission of knowledge passed on from the Dutch to their Japanese counterparts from the 1640s until the 1850s. Through Rangaku, the Japanese were given information regarding scientific discoveries, technological developments and theory of knowledge. Although rangaku was restricted for a good part, the information obtained by the Japanese were very important. An example would be the Western medical and anatomical studies that proved to be more accurate than what the Japanese had learned on their own or obtained from China.

Note that this cultural exchange went the other way as well. For example, although Dutch botanical texts were highly prized in Japan, the level of accuracy in the Japanese illustrations of their own plants proved to be extremely valuable for botanists in Europe (most famously Von Siebold). This cultural exchange highlights the importance of the relationship Holland had with Japan.

Despite the vast amounts of knowledge obtained through Dutch contacts, Edo Japan developed politically and economically without Western models. An example is the fishery industry of the Matsumae domain near Hokkaido. As David Howell notes:

"The Hokkaido fishery stands out in the history of the Japanese economy because the fundamental transformation to capitalism was complete before the establishment of a regime dedicated to Western-style economic development"

The rapid growth of Japan's development in the Meiji era can be attributed to both Tokugawa policies as well as Rangaku. However, Rangaku certainly gave an important boost to the Japanese most especially in the sciences.

I hope this provides some insight.

Sources:

Japanese Economic History 1600-1960: The Japanese Economy in the Tokugawa Era, 1600-1868 edited by Michael Smitka

Revisiting the History of Dutch-Japanese Relations edited by F. Matsukata and F. Cryns