Japan-US relationship Historical background

Japan-US relationship Historical background

The first exchange

Indirect trade from North America to Japan began around the time of the Nanban trade in the early 17th century . However, there was no direct contact between Japan and the North American colonies of Europe , which later became the United States of America, and the trade was carried out through the controlling countries ( sovereign countries ) Spain and Portugal .

Nueva Espana (after Mexico to build a contact of) several ships of the Spanish ships that set sail from the Japan, Christopher and Japanese sailors such as Kosmas, the Spanish galleon by 1587 in the Americas have reached the Known for that. 1610 , Tanaka Shōsuke as a member of the 20 people of Japan of the mission, William Adams and construction is Ieyasu Tokugawa was rented by the San Buena No. Ventura due to Don Rodrigo to accompany Homecoming, annexed by the United States after I went to Nueva Espana, which included the territory. The next 1611 years in with Tanaka Shōsuke et al Sebastian Vizcaino visited Japan as is Torei used, the current American state of a California proposed to establish a formal relationship.

1613 , the Sendai clan was built with the cooperation of Sebastian Vizcaino San Juan No. Bautista California by Mendocino Cape arrived in Tsunenaga Hasekura et al. Keicho YaO envoy in Nueva Espana viceroy is hospitality by, 1614 Then, from Acapulco, through Mexico City , departed San Juan de Urua on the Atlantic coast of Nueva Espana and headed for Europe. However, in 1650, the Edo Shogunate came into force to close the country , and almost all foreign trade in Japan came to an end. Dutch people and the Ryukyu people, the Korean people, China is permitted only people entering in Japan, it was only it was also a limited number of people. When the United States achieved independence in the latter half of the 18th century, there was no exchange between the two countries. 19th century in beginning, the USA and European countries tried to review Japan's foreign policy and threaten Japan with a military force to open it.

Early American expedition to Japan 

In 1791, two American ships, led by American explorer John Kendrick , anchored on Kii Oshima (an island belonging to Kushimoto-cho , Higashimuro-gun , Wakayama Prefecture ) south of the Kii Peninsula for 11 days. .. He is known as the first American to visit Japan. He hoisted the American flag and unequivocally claimed America's possession of the island, but Japan has no record of his visit.

From 1797 over the 1809 year, the number vessels of the United States ship Dutch by the request, the Dutch national flag under which has been hoisted, Nagasaki was trade in. Due to the Napoleonic war with England , they were unable to dispatch their own national ships.

In 1841, the American whaling ship John Howland rescued Manjiro Nakahama and four others on board a wrecked ship .

In 1837, Cantonese American businessman Charles W. King stranded a few years ago on the coast of Oregon , free trade through three Japanese (who had Otoyoshi among them ) trying to return to Japan. I tried to go. He headed for Uraga Suido with the unarmed American merchant ship Morrison . The ship was bombarded several times and the return failed.

In 1846, Admiral James Biddle was dispatched by two ships, one of which was 17 cannons , on the order of the US government (the then President of the Democratic Party, James Polk ) to establish free trade with Japan. Armed by, and anchored in Tokyo Bay . His request for a trade agreement failed.

In 1848, Captain James Gulin sailed for Nagasaki , where he succeeded for the first time in negotiations with Japan, where Americans were in isolation. On his return to North America, Glynn advised the United States Congress that the negotiations to open Japan should be backed by the demonstration of military power. This method was followed in a later expedition by Admiral Matthew Perry .

Admiral Matthew Perry 

First visit from 1852 to 1853

1852 November , Matthew Perry Admiral to negotiate about Japan and the trade treaty as the United States government plenipotentiary representative, led the fleet Virginia Norfolk was starting to.

July 8, 1853, he is black steam frigate is Mississippi , Plymouth , Saratoga , Susquehanna Edo (now Tokyo a short distance of) Uraga (of current Kanagawa Prefecture Yokosuka, is anchored in the eastern part), We had a meeting with a representative of the Edo Shogunate (Tokugawa administration).

The Tokugawa Shogunate side, who came to represent Japan's plenipotentiary, recommended that he go to Nagasaki, which had been granted a restricted trade with the Dutch under the Isolation Order. Perry refused to leave and, if he refused, demanded to hand over President Millard Fillmore 's letter , flickering the use of military force . Japan has been banning modern technology for centuries, and Perry's fleet could not be overwhelmed by Japanese military strength.

These  Ships(black) is later in Japan western of science and technology " and the threat of " colonialism became a symbol of".

The Japanese government (then the Edo shogunate at the time) had no choice but tolerate and accept the visit to avoid shelling by the Perry fleet. July 14, 1853, Perry Kurihama (current Yokosuka pass a personal letter to the delegation moved to the suburbs), [5] his fleet Qing morning China was starting toward the. Perry promised to return to Japan to reply. * It is a translation

Second visit in 1854 

For details , refer to the Japan-US Treaty of Peace and Amity

In March 1854, Perry returned to Japan this time with more ships.

Perry found that the delegation had a concrete treaty that met virtually all that Philmore's letter required.

On March 31, 1854, Perry signed the Kanagawa Treaty as the U.S. government plenipotentiary , misunderstanding that the agreement was made with the agent of the Emperor Takaaki,but left japan