Sakoku

Sakoku (in Japanese: 鎖国 (transcription in Hiragana: さこく); literally “closing of the country”) is the name given to the isolationist policy Japanese, founded at the time of the Period Edo (precisely between 1641 and 1853) by Iemitsu Tokugawa, shogun of the dynasty of Tokugawa. The term of Sakoku was created only at the 19th century.

The policy of insulation started with the expulsion of the ecclesiastics, then by the limitation of the ports open the abroads, prohibition to enter or leave the territory for any Japanese under penalty of death, the eviction from all abroad and the destruction of the ships able to sail in open sea.

Commodore Matthew Perry put a term at this policy in 1853.

Trade under the sakoku

In theory, the only allowed foreign influences were those of the Dutch (via the Compagnie Dutchwoman of the Eastern Indies) on the artificial island of Dejima in bay of Nagasaki, but the trade with the China was also managed with Nagasaki. Commercial exchanges with the Korea took place via the Province Tsushima (today in the Préfecture of Nagasaki) and with the Kingdom of the Îles Ryûkyû via the Province of Satsuma (today in the Préfecture of Kagoshima). In addition to these direct commercial exchanges in the peripheral provinces, all these countries regularly sent diplomatic missions to the seat of Shogunat with Edo. These missions traversing the country gave the opportunity to the inhabitants to see bits of these foreign cultures.

Tashiro Kazui showed that the exchanges between Japan and these States were classified in two categories. It classified in a first groups the exchange with China and the Netherlands “whose relations were under the direct jurisdiction of the Bakufu of Nagasaki” and in a second group, the kingdom of Korea and the kingdom of the Ryûkyû Islands “which traded respectively with the provinces of Tsushima (the Clan Sō) and Satsuma (the Clan Shimazu)”

These two groups corresponded coarsely to a diagram of import for the first group and export for the second. Japanese export to Korea and the Ryûkyû islands could be exported thereafter towards China since these countries.

Reasons of Sakoku

The policy of insulation was as well a means of controlling the trade with the other nations as a way of affirming the place of Japan in a new hierarchy in Eastern Asia, being freed from the tributary relations that the country maintained with China since centuries. Later the sakoku was the principal rampart against the exploitation of the mineral resources (such as the Cuivre and the money) Japanese by the foreign nations. Although the money export via Nagasaki was stopped by the bakufu , the money export towards Korea continued in relatively high proportions.

In 1804 a Russian envoy named Nikolai Rezanov, sails until Nagasaki to negotiate commercial exchanges. The bakufu refused its request, and Russia attacked Sakhalin and the islands Kuril the three years which followed, leading the bakufu to build lines of defense to Ezo.
In 1808, the British frigate HMS '' Phaeton '', combatant the boats Dutchwoman in the peaceful one, made halt with Nagasaki under Dutch house and obtains vivres by the force of the weapons.
In 1811, the Russian lieutenant Vasily Golovnin poses the foot on the island of Kunashiri, and is imprisoned two years by the bakufu.

In 1825, on a proposal of Takahashi Kageyasu, the bakufu emits the “Order to push back the foreign ships” (Ikokusen uchiharairei), ordering with the coastal authorities to stop or carry out the foreigners accosting. This order was not always followed because of the opposition of certain official such as Sadanobu Matsudaira.

In 1837 an American businessman in Canton, named Charles W. King, tries to establish commercial relations, while going back to Japan with three Japanese sailors, among them Otokichi, failed a few years earlier on the coasts of Oregon. He arrives until Uragawa with Morisson, a disarmed trading vessel but the ship must make half-turn vis-a-vis the shooting of stopping.
In 1842, following the news of the defeat of the China in the War of opium and on internal criticisms following the incident of Morisson, the bakufu suspends the decree of execution from abroad and emits the “Order of supply out of wooden and water” (Shinsui kyuyorei) making it possible the foreign ships to make halt in Japan.
In 1844, a naval forwarding ordered by the Fornier-Duplan captain visits Okinawa the April 28th, 1844. The trade is refused but the Forcade father is authorized to remain with a translator.

In 1846, ordering it James Biddle, sent by the US government to open commercial relations, anchors its two ships in bay of Edo (current Baie of Tōkyō), of which a ship armed with 72 cane, but no agreement is found.

In 1846, the French admiral Cécille arrives at Nagasaki, but does not have the authorization to accost.

In 1848, the captain James Glynn accosts with Nagasaki, leading the first profitable negotiation with Japan. James Glynn recommends to the American Congress that the negotiations on the opening of Japan are supported by a show of force, opening the way with the forwarding of Perry.

In 1849, HMS '' Mariner '' Royal Navy British enters the port of Uraga to lead a topographic study. On his board the expatriate Otokichi is used as translator and to avoid the troubles with the Japanese authorities is made pass for an Chinese having learned Japanese through his father, one presumedly commercial having made deals with Nagasaki.

The July 8th 1853, the commodore Matthew Perry of US Navy is anchored out of bay of Edo (current bay of Tōkyō) with four warships: the '' the Mississippi '', the '' Plymouth '', the '' Saratoga '', and the '' Susquehanna ''. It makes the demonstration of the power devastator of the guns Paixhans with which its vessels are equipped. He asks that Japan open commercial relations with the Occident. These ships will become known under the name of Kurofune , the “black ships”.

End of insulation

The following year, to the Convention of Kanagawa (March 31st, 1854), the commodore Perry returns with seven force and warships Shogun to sign the “peace treaty and friendship” establishing of the diplomatic relations official between Japan and the United States of America. During the five years which followed, Japan signs other similar treaties with other Western countries. These treaties were perceived overall by the Japanese like iniquitous, having were constrained by the “Politique of the drain-hole”, and as a sign of the will Western imperialist to include Japan in the plan of conquest which the continent of Asia underwent. These treaties gave to the nations foreign, inter alia measurements, the control of the tariffs of imports and the right of Extraterritorialité on all their nationals visiting Japan. These treaties remained a point of obstacle with the Occident until the end of the century.

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