NEW: 
By Lance Olsen
Opening of Japan started it on the road to WW2
Japan had a policy of seclusion which rigorously controlled, and even restricted and limited, relations and trade with other countries until the act of classic gunboat diplomacy by US Commodore Matthew Perry on 8 July 1853.
The purpose of the rigorous policy was to prevent Europeans from colonizing Japan. For example, the Empress Meisho who was empress regnant (an empress with sovereign power rather than merely the consort of an emperor) from 1629 to 1643 – had heard of the Spanish and Portuguese taking possession of the Americas and was alarmed that the same fate might befall Japan. In 1639, the policy of seclusion was instituted as a result of such concerns.
By the 1850s the Spanish had been replaced by Mexicans who in turn had lost California to the US – which thereby came to have interests in the Pacific Ocean. The US wanted, from Japan, assistance for shipwrecked US whalers, coal and supplies for US ships, porcelain, markets for US products, and a base of supply for US ships trading with China. Consequently, the US sent 4 warships armed with the new Paixhans shell guns under a Commodore Matthew Perry to deliver a letter listing US demands in diplomatic language to the Emperor of Japan.
To deliver the message, Perry ordered his ships to bombard buildings around Uraga Harbor near Edo (modern Tokyo) to demonstrate US naval power. Edo was the seat of the Shogun and every Japanese knew that “the Emperor reigns whilst the Shogun rules the land”. Perry’s ships were armed with Paixhans shell guns devised to destroy warships by firing shells which explode just after impact and the Japanese had no defense against these.
Perry threatened to bombard without restraint if his demands were not satisfied after the first bombardment – he sent two white flags to the Japanese with the message that in that event his guns would cease the bombardment only when the Japanese hoisted the two white flags to surrender. This compelled Japan to receive the letter from the President of the US addressed to the Emperor of Japan. He then stated that he would return the next year and expected a favorable reply to the letter.
Perry's gunboat diplomacy roused Japan to a nationwide debate. The Chief Councillor of the Shogun sent a translation of the letter to every Daimyo seeking their opinions. It was made clear that the Daimyo could "speak freely, even if it be to advocate revocation of the established policy of seclusion" on what Japan's response should be.
More than 700 opinions were received in reply. The majority advocated rejecting the demands and fighting the intruders. A minority who were aware of the situation in the world outside Japan pointed out the reality that Japan had no defense against the superior weaponry that would be used against Japan. This reality compelled Japan to agree to the Treaty of Kanagawa or "America-Japan Treaty of Amity and Friendship" on 31 March 1854, and then the “Treaty of Amity and Commerce” on 29 July 1858.
In the interim between the 2 treaties the debate continued with such ferocity that a power struggle erupted forcing the Chief Councillor Abe Masahiro to resign in October 1855. The new Chief Councillor Hotta Masayoshi took the unprecedented step of seeking the Emperor's assent on US demands for the “Treaty of Amity and Commerce” – and Chief Councillor Hotta was ousted from power for involving the Emperor. Upon the ouster of Chief Councillor (Roju [老中]) Hotta, the Great Elder (Tairō [大老]) – note the different title – Ii Naosuke took power in April 1858 and decided to enter into the “Treaty of Amity and Commerce” on 29 July 1858, without the Emperor's assent – for which Great Elder Ii Naosuke was assassinated by ambush in March 1860.
To obtain the Emperor's assent the Chief Councillor Hotta Masayoshi had stated:
"...in establishing relations with foreign countries, the object should always be...securing the hegemony over all nations ... the enforcement of the power and authority deputed [to us] by the will of Heaven. Our national prestige and position thus ensured, the nations of the world will come to look up to our Emperor as the Great Ruler of all the nations, and they will come to follow our policy and submit themselves to our judgment ... throw off the traditional policy three centuries old, and make a united national effort to seize the opportunity for realizing the great destiny awaiting our country."
That conclusion from the nationwide debate:
-
meant Japan was to learn – from those who were breaking down her doors – for the purpose of acquiring capabilities that would make her their equal. Consequently, Japan sent its first-ever embassy to the US in 1860, followed by many other missions to learn for this purpose, e.g. the Akitake mission (1862 – 1863) to Europe, and then the Iwakura mission (1871 – 1873) to America and Europe, etc.
-
led Japan to seek hegemony for herself with those acquired capabilities – in 1875 Japan began its own "gunboat diplomacy" by sending a warship to Ganghwa, Korea, which overwhelmed the Korean defenses and compelled Korea to agree to the Treaty of Ganghwa or "Japanese-Korea Treaty of Amity" on 27 February 1876; in 1910 Japan annexed Korea, and in 1931 Japan began to invade China – this quest resulted in Japan suffering total defeat in the Second World War.
To ratify the “Treaty of Amity and Commerce” Japan sent its first-ever embassy to the US in 1860. At that time Mexican dollars were the international currency and a Baron Morimura Ichizaemon IV (1839 – 1919) was tasked with exchanging Japanese currency for Mexican dollars before the Japanese embassy of 1860 embarked on its mission.
Ichizaemon found that Japan’s ignorance in matters of international trade put Japan at a disadvantage, e.g. foreign traders were buying Japanese gold currency and making great profits from selling the gold outside Japan. Ichizaemon observed the large outflow of gold from Japan.
Morimura Ichizaemon and Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835 – 1901) were 2 of the 170 members (all samurai) of the Japanese embassy to the US in 1860. Fukuzawa Yukichi advocated "to reverse the outflow of gold from Japan, we must earn foreign currency by export trade" which inspired Morimura Ichizaemon to resolve to trade internationally.
Portrait of Fukuzawa Yukichi on Japan's 10,000 Yen Banknote
Fukuzawa Yukichi, who appears on Japan's 10,000-yen banknote, is regarded as one of the leaders of the Meiji Restoration and revered as one of the founders of modern Japan. Japan's quest for hegemony is evident from what he said in 1882: "We are Japanese and we shall someday raise the national power of Japan so that not only shall we control the natives of China and India as the English do today, but we shall also possess in our hands the power to rebuke the English and to rule Asia ourselves".
Perry’s gunboat diplomacy forced changes which rocked Japan. For example, in Japan's currency system, 5 pounds of silver currency could be exchanged for 1 pound of gold currency. Outside Japan, 1 pound of gold could be exchanged for 15 pounds of silver. Article VII in the Treaty of Kanagawa (1854) stipulated: "...ships of the United States...shall be permitted to exchange gold and silver coin" – this meant 5 pounds of silver could be brought to Japan to be exchanged for 1 pound of gold in Japanese currency which could then be exchanged for 15 pounds of silver outside Japan. Consequently, e.g. in 1860 alone about 70 tons of gold flowed out of Japan. This disrupted the Japanese currency and economic system.
It became untenable for the Shogunate to maintain its authority after being seen to have been forced by foreigners into treaties disadvantageous to Japan which disrupted Japanese ways. Consequently, the Shogun was compelled to transfer, or return, his powers to the Emperor (the Meiji Restoration, 1867).
Japan's quest and path to World War 2 is detailed in: Taierzhuang 1938 – Stalingrad 1942
see 2-page Preview 
Note: Morimura is the family name of Morimura Ichizaemon – the family name appears first in all Japanese names herein for consistency
If you do not receive a reply within 24 hours it means your email was lost in transit
© Copyright notice: NO part of the Numistamp.com webpages may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise (except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review – in which event reference to the source is required), without prior permission of the copyright owners. |
