Usa was totally interested about trading with Japan.
But, Japan was facing civil problems and most of their population wanted to isolate from trading with other countries.
USA --------> threatened Japan with the "gun-boat diplomacy"
Commodore Perry arrived with four warships in 1853. He demanded Japan to accept trading and that he will let them a year to decide a response.
Although:
+ National resistance
+Fear of ending as China did
the Treaty of Kanagawa was signed in 1854
+ It stated that Japan had to open two ports for US trade
Ergo, Japan's Seclusion ended.
Usa continued to arrange treties with japan such as The Treaty of Amity and Commerce en 1858.
Slide 4
Meiji Restoration
As treaties were all firmed withouth the consent of the emperor it caused:
+ Pro-imperial and anti-Western sentiments and movements
+Resistance fanatics or "Shishi"
Main thinkers as Aizawa or Sakuma, empowered the idea of learning from Western science and technology. But stressed the idea of "Eatern morals and Western science"
Yoshida Shoin, an important shishi leader, who wanted to restore feudal system was executed in 1859 because of his antigovernement activities and involvment in an assasination plot.
1860's ---> Fights between clans: Satsuma-Chosu clans were victorios
1866 ---> The Emperor died and was replaced by Emperor Meiji
+Meiji was only fifteen years old and so was influenced by those opposite to the governemt.
1868 ---> The Emperor stablished the Imperial Court in Edo (Tokio)
+Aim: prevent Japan from suffering the fate of other Asian nations
New Policy: "Enrich the country, strenghten the military" by Fukoku Kyohei