Commodore Perry Enters Tokyo Bay
Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry's entry into Tokyo Bay on July 8, 1853, marked a significant turning point in Japan's history, as it initiated the end of over two centuries of self-imposed isolation. Perry, a prominent American naval officer, arrived with four ships on a diplomatic mission aimed at establishing relations with Japan, which had been largely closed off to foreign influence. At the time, Japan was governed by military leaders known as Shoguns, who maintained strict control over foreign interactions, fearing that Western influences could undermine their authority.
Perry's arrival was unexpected and imposing, as his modern warships represented a formidable challenge to the Japanese, who realized they could not resist such advanced military power. This led to a reluctant willingness on Japan's part to engage in dialogue about trade and diplomacy. After returning in 1854 with a larger fleet to reinforce his demands, Perry ultimately secured a treaty that opened specific ports for American trade and set the stage for Japan's gradual integration into the global economy.
This pivotal moment not only redressed American grievances but also catalyzed Japan's transformation, leading to a period of rapid modernization and Westernization in the following decades. Perry's mission, while viewed through various lenses, illustrates the complex dynamics of power, trade, and cultural exchange during a transformative era for Japan and the broader region.
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Commodore Perry Enters Tokyo Bay
Commodore Perry Enters Tokyo Bay
American navy officer Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry entered Tokyo Bay, Japan, on July 8, 1853, with four ships in order to establish diplomatic relations with the closed nation of Japan.
Perry was born on April 10, 1794, in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. His older brother was another famous American naval officer, Oliver Hazard Perry. The younger Perry entered the United States navy at the age of 15 and rose rapidly, earning a commission as a lieutenant before the age of 20 and being honored with the captaincy of the first navy steamship in 1837. He was promoted to commodore in 1842, a rank which essentially put him in command of several ships instead of captaining just one, and he served in the Mexican War during the late 1840s. In 1853 Perry was assigned a squadron of four ships on a diplomatic mission to Japan.
The East Asian island nation of Japan had been closed to most foreigners for centuries, with just a handful of western vessels being permitted to trade at selected ports. Japanese society was dominated by feudal warlords and governed by military dictators known as Shoguns, who ostensibly ruled on behalf of emperors who held little real power and typically led lives of seclusion behind palace walls. The warrior caste viewed western influences as a threat to their privileged position, and so they deliberately isolated their nation from the so-called barbarians. However, by the mid-19th century the policy of isolation was becoming hopelessly unrealistic. Japan stood astride important trade routes to mainland Asia, particularly to and from the West Coast of the United States, which was rapidly emerging as a major maritime power. American sailors who were shipwrecked off the coast of Japan by storms or other causes were often killed by the local authorities or residents. American ships were often denied the most basic forms of assistance: They could not use Japanese ports even in emergencies, obtain fresh water and other supplies even if desperately low in provisions, or get medical attention for sick sailors in a day and age when epidemics could wipe out an entire ship's complement. In addition to these grievances, the United States was anxious to establish a presence in Asia before all the choice trading opportunities were taken by the European powers. As Japan was still “unclaimed,” it seemed like a logical prospect.
Perry arrived in Tokyo, which had become the capital of Japan under the Shoguns, with his four ships on July 8, 1853. His arrival stunned the Japanese, who could not possibly oppose Perry's fleet of western warships equipped with modern cannons. Effectively helpless and unable to enforce their policy of isolation, the Japanese reluctantly agreed to consider the terms of a proposed trade treaty that would also establish diplomatic relations. Perry returned to Tokyo with an even larger fleet in February 1854, just to make certain that the Japanese authorities were still properly cowed by his display of power, and the new treaty was signed on March 31, 1854. American grievances were redressed, the ports of Shimoda and Hakodate were opened to American trade, and over the following years Japan was forced to abandon isolation and enter the modern world. Later in the 19th century the Japanese actively embraced Westernization and embarked on a policy of aggressive economic and military development. Perry died on March 4, 1858, in New York City.