Man who opened the door of Japan to the world

Commodore Matthew Calbraith PERRY

If there is one man who has made a significant difference to modern Japan, it has to be American Matthew PERRY. PERRY was a Commodore in the U.S. Navy who was credited with prying open Japan to the rest of the world and setting the country on the path to 'internationlization.'

It was 1852 when Perry left Virginia, U.S.A. for Japan in a fleet of ships to create a trade treaty with Japan. At the time, Japan was almost completely sealed off to the outside world except for a very small amount of trade with the Netherlands. Sailing aboard a black-hulled frigate, PERRY steamed into the Japanese port of Uraga where he was told to go to Nagasaki, the only Japanese port open to foreigners at the time.

He refused to leave before being given the opportunity to present a letter to the Japanese Emperor requesting trading rights with America. He threatened the use of force if his request was denied. The Japanese rulers could not resist, since their almost 200 years of seclusion had left them with outdated weaponry.

Commodore PERRY's "black ships" clearly impressed the Japanese who later acceded to PERRY's requests on Mar. 31, 1854 and signed a treaty opening Hakodate and Shimoda ports to U.S. trade.

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