This agreement, forced on the Tokugawa shogunate by Commodore
Perry's
menacing "black ships," ended over two centuries of virtual exclusion (the
exception being the
Dutch) of foreign traders from the coast of Japan. The intrusion of the U.S. in
the first place (see
President Fillmore's letter derived from the
ill-treatment
accorded American whaling crews when shipwrecked off the coast or landing for
provisions or
repairs. The treaty fully satisfied the U.S. government's concerns in this
regard but left to the future
the equally important matter of opening the country to foreign trade; concluded
in 1858 with the
signing of the Harris treaty.
Perry's great achievement was widely recognized at the time. Perhaps there is no
better praise for
this naval veteran of 45 years' service than the collective memorial sent by the
American merchants
at Canton to the Commodore in Sept. 1854 on his return trip to the U.S.:
"You have conquered the obstinate will of man and, by overturning the
cherished policy of
an empire, have brought an estranged but culturated people into the family of
nations. You have
done this without violence, and the world has looked on with admiration to see
the barriers of
prejudice fall before the flag of our country without the firing of a
shot."
THE UNITED STATES of America and the Empire of Japan, desiring to establish firm, lasting, and sincere friendship between the two nations, have resolved to fix, in a manner clear and positive, by means of a treaty or general convention of peace and amity, the rules which shall in future be mutually observed in the intercourse of their respective countries; for which most desirable object the President of the United States has conferred full powers on his Commissioner, Matthew Calbraith Perry, Special Ambassador of the United States to Japan, and the August Sovereign of Japan has given similar full powers to his Commissioners . . . . . . And the said Commissioners, after having exchanged their said full powers, and duly considered the premises, have agreed to the following articles:
There shall be a perfect, permanent, and universal peace, and a sincere and cordial amity between the United States of America on the one part, and the Empire of Japan on the other part, and between their people respectively, without exception of persons or places.
The port of Simoda [in Yedo harbor], in the principality of Idzu, and the port
of Hakodade, in the
principality of Matsmai [Hokkaido], are granted by the Japanese as ports for the
reception of
American ships, where they can be supplied with wood, water, provisions, and
coal, and
other articles their necessities may require, as far as the Japanese have them.
The time for
opening the first-named port is immediately on signing this treaty; the last-
named port is to
be opened immediately after the same day in the ensuing Japanese year.
NOTE. A tariff of prices shall be given by the Japanese officers of the things
which they
can furnish, payment for which shall be made in gold and silver coin.
Whenever ships of the United States are thrown or wrecked on the coast of Japan, the Japanese vessels will assist them, and carry their crews to Simoda, or Hakodade, and hand them over to their countrymen, appointed to receive them; whatever articles the shipwrecked men may have preserved shall likewise be restored, and the expenses incurred in the rescue and support of Americans and Japanese who may thus be thrown upon the shores of either nation are not to be refunded.
Those shipwrecked persons and other citizens of the United States shall be free as in other countries, and not subjected to confinement, but shall be amenable to just laws.
Shipwrecked men and other citizens of the United States, temporarily living at Simoda and Hakodade, shall not be subject to such restrictions and confinement as the Dutch and Chinese are at Nagasaki, but shall be free at Simoda to go where they please within the limits of seven Japanese miles . . . from a small island in the harbor of Simoda marked on the accompanying chart hereto appended; and in shall like manner be free to go where they please at Hakodade, within limits to be defined after the visit of the United States squadron to that place.
If there be any other sort of goods wanted, or any business which shall require to be arranged, there shall be careful deliberation between the parties in order to settle such matters.
It is agreed that ships of the United States resorting to the ports open to them shall be permitted to exchange gold and silver coin and articles of goods for other articles of goods, under such regulations as shall be temporarily established by the Japanese Government for that purpose. It is stipulated, however, that the ships of the United States shall be permitted to carry away whatever articles they are unwilling to exchange.
It is agreed that if at any future day the Government of Japan shall grant to any other nation or nations privileges and advantages which are not herein granted to the United States and the citizens thereof, that these same privileges and advantages shall be granted likewise to the United States and to the citizens thereof, without any consultation or delay.
Ships of the United States shall be permitted to resort to no other ports in Japan but Simoda and Hakodade, unless in distress or forced by stress of weather.
There shall be appointed, by the Government of the United States, Consuls or Agents to reside in Simoda, at any time after the expiration of eighteen months from the date of the signing of this treaty, provided that either of the two Governments deem such arrangement necessary.
The present convention having been concluded and duly signed, shall be
obligatory and
faithfully observed by the United States of America and Japan, and by the
citizens and
subjects of each respective Power; and it is to be ratified and approved by the
President of
the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and
by the
August Sovereign of Japan, and the ratification shall be exchanged within
eighteen months
from the date of the signature thereof, or sooner if practicable.
In faith whereof we, the respective Plenipotentiaries of the United States of
America and
the Empire of Japan aforesaid, have signed and sealed these presents.
Done at Kanagawa, this thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ one thousand eight hundred and fifty-four . . . . .
M. C. PERRY.
(HERE FOLLOW THE SIGNATURES OF THE JAPANESE PLENIPOTENTIARIES)
[Ref.: U.S. Sen., Exec. Docs., 33rd, 2nd (1854-5), Vol. 6, #34, pp. 153-5]
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