blog
media download page
Essay / How the Opening of Japan Began . The treaty and subsequent trade agreement between the United States and Japan revolutionized the way the West interacted with Asia and Japan viewed the outside world. While it has been clearly established that Perry's landing triggered a concerted effort by the Japanese government to open up to the West and reap the supposed benefits of modernization, Western motivations ranged from economic exploitation Japanese people discovering new knowledge about an unknown culture. Three newspaper articles written by Americans in the years 1854 and 1857 describe Western attitudes toward the opening of Japan. As each article is aimed at a different audience and aims to provide different forms of information, readers are able to understand the impact that Japan's gradual opening had on cultural knowledge in America and on foreign relations of the country in general. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"?Get the original essayOriginally written in The Economist, the first article, titled "Japan", was published in the Home Journal in 1854 As a publication intended for the general public, this article constitutes a first-hand account of the first landing in Japan from the point of view of one of Commodore Perry's associates. The narrator begins by reiterating the American statement that "European expansion into the Pacific islands must soon lead to the opening of Japan to world trade." This idea continues throughout the article, reflecting the American belief that due to the expansion of world trade, the opening of Japanese ports was inevitable. The concept of inevitability adopted by the narrator accurately describes the attitude of the Americans during their visit, with the narrator taking note of the lack of conflict or resistance from the Japanese. The Japanese's observed obedience to the arrival of the Americans also demonstrates the narrator's belief—and that of other Americans—that the Japanese were attracted to Western products and lifestyle. The article describes how Japanese officials fully appreciated the food and alcohol brought by American officers. The peace and friendship between American and Japanese officials that the narrator describes in the article characterizes the American mission as a peaceful attempt at cultural expansion rather than an aggressive takeover of Japan. The article also suggests some interesting interpretations of Japanese culture that Americans had at the time. For example, the narrator indicates that much of the lens through which Americans viewed the Japanese was based on comparisons to the Chinese, because they were the only other contact Westerners had with the Asian world. The narrator notes the similarities between Chinese and Japanese admiration for Western customs. Despite each culture's similar fascination with the Western world, the article distinguishes between each nation's relationship with the United States during its opening. According to the narrator, Japan's opening to trade with the United States was much more peaceful than that of China, although he attributes much of this success to the leadership of Commodore Perry, writing: "he made what he didn't do in China, and that wasn't expected anyone could accomplish in Japan - he didpeacefully and amicably open to the sexual relations of his compatriots, without firing a shot or using an angry word. As written by a real American who witnessed the opening of Japan during his stay on Perry's expedition, this article expresses the view of an ordinary American during the opening of Japan. The desire for peaceful relations between Japan and the United States and the limited knowledge of Japanese culture manifested in the text and the article also clarify Western opinion on the inevitability of the expansion of trade in Asia and the Peaceful. The following article, “The Japan Expedition and Its Results,” was published in the American magazine Friends' Review; a religious, literary and miscellaneous journal in 1854. Also aimed at the general public but unlike the previous text, this article summarizes the American expedition to Japan, assessing the consequences of the opening of Japanese ports. The article begins by stating the author's belief that sending an expedition to Japan was "one of the most honorable acts of the last administration." Much of the article is devoted to the author's justification of his praise of Perry's expedition. According to the article, two aspects of the expedition's results are important. First there are the cultural consequences of an open Japan. The author expresses the opinion that the West is culturally superior to Japan or even all of Asia. Describing the Japanese as not very "enlightened", the author continues with the belief that Japan would benefit from contact with the "Christian world", as he refers to the West. The commercial results of an open Japan are also described by the author as one of the positive outcomes of the expedition. The author particularly mentions the future supply of Japanese coal deposits and the provision of water and other supplies to Americans visiting the Japanese coast. These economic and commercial benefits described in the article demonstrate the sense of profit felt by the author and other Americans on the expedition at that time. The article also addresses a political dimension of Japan's openness to international relations. According to the author, Russian officials failed in their attempt to fully open trade with Japan, citing Commodore Perry's success as outpacing efforts by other powers to reach substantial agreements with Japan. The article ends with an interesting commentary on the role of the United States Navy in American foreign policy, praising expeditions such as those of Commodore Perry as one of the most valuable functions of the American fleet and writing: "It n There's nothing wrong with giving something to our navy. respectable and useful to do. This article demonstrates Americans' beliefs regarding the benefits of commercial expansion and trade with Japan while clarifying the attitudes of cultural superiority that existed in the West. While briefly discussing the impact that Japan's opening up had on international politics at the time, the article also presents American views on the role of American diplomatic and naval power abroad. The third article, "Japan and Its People", is in the American Phrenological Journal and was published in 1857. The journal, which contained articles on the science behind the mind and culture, published this article as a exhibition on the new knowledge acquired thanks to the opening of Japan to the Western world. The target audience is the more academic sector of American society. Unlike press articles, this text is a report on what the Americans discovered during their recent expedition to..
Navigation
« Prev
1
2
3
4
5
Next »
Get In Touch