The Letter Perry Brought
On July 8, 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry of the United States Navy, commanding a fleet of ships, including the steam frigates Susquehanna, Mississippi, Saratoga, and Plymouth, anchors in Edo Bay at Kunsan in Korea. Perry carries a letter from President Millard Fillmore addressed to the “Emperor of China” seeking trade relations. Perry also has a letter from the President to the “Tycoon of Japan” seeking similar relations.
The letter from President Fillmore
When Commodore Matthew C. Perry led a squadron of ships into Tokyo Bay in 1853, he had with him a letter from President Millard Fillmore to the Japanese Emperor. The letter stated that the United States wished to establish friendly relations with Japan, and requested that the Japanese government provide a suitable port for American ships.
The letter was an important step in opening up Japan to the outside world, and it is believed that the Japanese government accepted it because they saw the benefits of having friendly relations with the United States. Perry’s visit led to the signing of the Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854, which opened up Japan to trade with the United States and ended centuries of isolationism.
The Japanese government’s response
The reason the Japanese government accepted the letter Perry brought from President Fillmore in 1853 was because they saw it as an opportunity to open up trade with the United States. This was something that the Japanese government had been wanting to do for a while, but they were hesitant to take the first step. However, after seeing how much economic success the United States had, they decided that it was worth the risk to try and establish trade relations.
Why the Japanese Government Accepted the Letter
In 1853, Commodore Perry of the United States Navy sailed into Tokyo Bay with the intent of opening up Japan to the outside world. Perry brought with him a letter from President Fillmore, which the Japanese government accepted. There were a few reasons why the government made this decision.
The political climate in Japan at the time
In 1931, the Japanese government was in a difficult predicament. The Great Depression had begun in 1929 and quickly spread to Japan, where it caused great economic hardship. In an effort to improve the economy, the Japanese government had begun a program of military expansion in 1931, which led to the invasion and occupation of Manchuria (a province in northeastern China).
The Japanese government’s decision to accept the letter from the Emperor was likely influenced by several factors, including the political climate in Japan at the time and the desire to maintain good relations with the United States. The letter may also have been seen as a way to diffuse tensions between the two countries.
The potential benefits of trade with the United States
In 1853, U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry sailed into Tokyo Bay with a squadron of ships, demanding that Japan open itself up to Western trade. The Japanese government eventually relented, and in 1854 the two countries signed the Treaty of Peace and Friendship.
The treaty gave the United States certain privileges in Japan, including the right to trade and station naval vessels in Japanese ports. In return, the United States agreed to provide military protection for Japan if it were ever attacked.
Some Japanese officials were wary of signing the treaty, fearing that it would make Japan too dependent on the United States. However, others saw potential benefits in trade with the United States, such as the acquisition of new technology and the ability to purchase much-needed military supplies. Ultimately, these potential benefits outweighed the risks, and the Japanese government decided to accept Perry’s letter.
The threat of military action by the United States
The Japanese government accepted the letter from President Fillmore in 1853 because they were concerned about the possibility of military action by the United States. Perry’s visit to Japan was part of a larger effort by the U.S. government to establish diplomatic and trade relations with East Asia. At that time, Japan was a closed country and had very limited contact with the outside world. The Japanese government was worried that Perry’s visit could lead to a military confrontation with the United States. In order to avoid a conflict, they decided to accept the letter and open up diplomatic relations with the United States.