The Age of Shogun: Japanese History 1600-1868 FOREIGN RELATIONS

1. The Age of Shogun: Japanese History 1600-1868 FOREIGN RELATIONS • Oxford Department • for Continuing Education • Dr PM Jolliffe

2. Conventional historiography speaks about “closed country” policy • The term “sakoku” 鎖国 was only coined in the early 19th century • Strict foreign policy since 1639 How did it come to this strict foreign policy?

3. 1543 arrival of the first Portuguese traders on Tanegashima1549 arrival of Francis Xavier in Kagoshima1567 Chinese are allowed to travel for trade but not to Japan Portuguese merchants and missionaries

4. Maritime situation Competition of Chinese, Korean and Japanese pirates (wakō倭寇)

5. 1582-1590 Tenshō Embassy to Europe • 3 Samurai boys, their attendants and teachers left Nagasaki 1582 • Met KingPhilip II of Spain, Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Pope Gregory XIII, and Pope Sixtus V • They returned in 1590 with the Gutenberg Press, Arabian horses and other gifts

6. 1592-1598 Japanese invasion of Korea • Two invasions of Korea with the goal to conquer China • 50,000-60,000 Koreans forcibly deported to Japan • These Koreans developed “traditional” Japanese ceramics

7. 1597 Crucifixion of 26 martyrs

8. 1600 William Adams, first Englishman arrives in Japan

9. 1613-1623 English-Japanese trade relations • 1613 The Clove with John Saris on board arrived in Hirado • Will Adams informed Tokugawa Ieyasu about their arrival • Saris has an audience with Ieyasu and his son the then acting shogun Tokugawa Hidetada • Presents letter from King James asking for trade and friendship • Tokugawa Ieyasu issues the Shuinjō

10. Item The ships that have now come to Japan from England for the first time will be allowed to trade in all goods without hindrance; they will be exempted from customs and other duties Item As for the goods aboard, they should be listed separately according to their use and the list should be submitted. Item Their ships shall be allowed to arrive in any port of Japan; if they lose their sails and helms owing to storms , there will be no objection to their coming into any inlet. Item In due course a residence shall be granted to the Englishmen anywhere they like in Edo; meanwhile they may build a house and reside and trade there; as for their return to their own country, it is up to them. [At their departure] they should dispose of the house built by them. Item If an Englishman dies of illness, or any other cause, in Japan, his possessions shall be sent forth [to England] without fail. Item Forced sales by violent means shall not be allowed. Item If any Englishman commits and offense, he shall be sentenced according to the gravity of the offense; the sentences shall be at the discretion of the English commander. Wherefore as above. Keichō 18, Eighth Month, 28th day Minamoto Ieyasu Fidelity and forbearance

11. 1613-1620 Keichō Embassy to Europe

12. Regulating foreign relations 1614 Expulsion of all foreign priests and many influential Japanese Christians 1633-1639 five documents to regulate and limit trade with the Portuguese and other Europeans

13. 1641 only the Dutch are left restricted to Dejima island

14. Relations with Korea • After Hideyoshi’s campaign against Korea, Tokugawa Ieyasu keen to re-establish good relations with Korea and China • By 1610s trade with Korea reestablished. Through Tsushima island • In 1616, at Ieyasu’s death, Korean embassy’s visited his mausoleum in Nikko • 1643 Korean embassy brings bronce bell for Nikko

15. Foreign relations after 1641

16. 1853-1854 Commodore Perry and the “Opening” of Japan