Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce

Quick Facts: Who was Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce?

Subject:

Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce

Known for:

1858 Treaty establishing trade and relations between the UK and Japan.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Anglo–Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce (日英修好通商条約, Nichi-Ei Shūkō Tsūshō Jōyaku; The Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Commerce, between Queen Victoria and the tycoon of Japan) was signed on 26 August 1858 by Lord Elgin and the then representatives of the Japanese government (the Tokugawa shogunate), and was ratified between Queen Victoria and the Tycoon of Japan at Yedo on 11 July 1859. The concessions which Japan made in the treaty were threefold: A representative of the British government would be permitted to reside at Edo.

Career & Major Achievements

Hakodate, Kanagawa and Nagasaki were to be opened to British commerce on 1 July 1859 and British subjects could travel within a range of 25 miles of each port. Hyogo would open on 1 January 1863.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

British subjects would be allowed to reside in Edo from 1 January 1862 and Osaka from 1 January 1863.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1858: 1858 Milestone — The Anglo–Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce (日英修好通商条約, Nichi-Ei Shūkō Tsūshō Jōyaku; The Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Commerce, between Queen Victoria and the tycoon of Japan) was signed on 26 August 1858 by Lord Elgin and the then representatives of the Japanese government (the Tokugawa shogunate), and was ratified between Queen Victoria and the Tycoon of Japan at Yedo on 11 July 1859.
2. 1859: 1859 Milestone — Hakodate, Kanagawa and Nagasaki were to be opened to British commerce on 1 July 1859 and British subjects could travel within a range of 25 miles of each port.
3. 1862: 1862 Milestone — British subjects would be allowed to reside in Edo from 1 January 1862 and Osaka from 1 January 1863.
4. 1863: 1863 Milestone — Hyogo would open on 1 January 1863.

Notable Quotes by Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce

“A Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Commerce hath been agreed upon and concluded between Her Majesty and His Majesty the Tycoon of Japan.” (1859)

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce

True or False: “True or false: The treaty initially opened all major Japanese ports to British commerce on the same day.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): False. While Hakodate, Kanagawa, and Nagasaki opened on July 1, 1859, the opening of Hyogo was scheduled for a later date, January 1, 1863.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aimé Bonpland — Historical peer (Died in 1858) (1858): French explorer and botanist, renowned for his scientific travels with Alexander von Humboldt.
• Alexis Soyer — Historical peer (Died in 1858) (1858): Pioneering French chef, writer, and inventor celebrated for his work in Victorian England.
• A. E. Housman — Historical peer (Born in 1859) (1859): English classicist and poet, renowned for his scholarship and melancholic verse.
• Aleksandr Popov (physicist) — Historical peer (Born in 1859) (1859): Pioneering Russian physicist credited with early radio receiving technology.
• Alexandre Yersin — Historical peer (Born in 1863) (1863): Pioneering Swiss-French physician and bacteriologist, renowned for plague and diphtheria research.
• Alfred de Vigny — Historical peer (Died in 1863) (1863): French poet and early Romanticist, known for his plays and novels.
• Andrew Fisher — Historical peer (Born in 1862) (1862): Australian Labor Party leader and Prime Minister of Australia (1862–1928).
• Aristide Briand — Historical peer (Born in 1862) (1862): French statesman known for international reconciliation and peace efforts.

Frequently Asked Questions about Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce