Japan’s contact with the West

Mansha. WGrade 11

1500s

At the year 1542, it was the first time that Japan had contact with the West. Portuguese was the first ship that has docked in Japan. Actually Portuguese was going to China, but something happened so they changed plans

and they docked in Japan. By the next century, the Europeans and Spanish came.

1614

The Shogun knew that the traders and the missionaries are actually military observer for

Europe, but they had succeeded on influencing Japanese people, by the year 1614, more than 300.000 Japanese is a

Christian.

Tokugawa Rulers

The Tokugawa rulers had ended their relationship with the Europeans because they

think that they are a threat for their power and they also forbid Christianity practice in Japan, but the Japanese still allow the Dutch

to stay in one isolated port because the Dutch are only interested in the trading business,

but because Dutch is a little bit sneaky, they still gave little information to the Japanese

people about the West.

1700s and 1800s

Even though the Tokugawa ended their relationship with the West, Japan is still developing. By the 1700s the trading company was and they became very

important to social life. At the same time the daimyo thought more efficient ways farming to the farmers and on how to increase their

product.

Perry’s Mission

The United States sent Commodore Matthew Perry to Japan to tell Japan that they have to break their isolation and grant the trading privileges. Commodore Perry threaten Japan if they don’t want to break their isolation within a year, the USA will declare war. In the end the Japanese actually agreed on treaty because the shogun. By the year 1858, Japan has made more than 1 agreement with other Western nations.

Resources:

http://www.japan-101.com/history/history_west_first_contact.htm accessed at 25/08/2010

Global insights book page 261-264