Treaty of Peace, Amity and Commerce between Portugal and Japan (1860)

Quick Facts: Who was Treaty of Peace, Amity and Commerce between Portugal and Japan (1860)?

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Treaty of Peace, Amity and Commerce between Portugal and Japan (1860)

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Treaty establishing diplomatic and trade relations between Portugal and Japan in 1860.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Treaty of Amity and Commerce between Japan and Portugal (日葡修好通商条約, Nichiro Shūkō Tsūshō Jōyaku - Tratado de Paz, Amizade e Commercio, entre Sua Magestade El Rei de Portugal e Sua Magestade o Imperador do Japão) was signed between Portugal and the Tokugawa Shogunate in Edo (now Tokyo) on August 3, 1860. It opened diplomatic relations and trade between the two countries.

Career & Major Achievements

The first encounters between Japan and Portuguese citizens date back to the early 1540s, when Portuguese explorers arrived on the Japanese island of Tanegashima. Trade between the two countries developed during the 17th century (so-called Nanban trade) until the Portuguese and other Christian nations were expelled from Japan in 1639 after the Shimabara Rebellion, leaving the Netherlands as only Western nation with formal trade relations with Japan (Sakoku period).

Enduring Legacy & Impact

After an initial convention between the United States and Japan in 1854 (Convention of Kanagawa), the United States, the Netherlands, Russia, Great Britain and France succeeded each in concluding a treaty of amity and commerce with Japan in 1858, the so-called Ansei Treaties.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1639: 1639 Milestone — Trade between the two countries developed during the 17th century (so-called Nanban trade) until the Portuguese and other Christian nations were expelled from Japan in 1639 after the Shimabara Rebellion, leaving the Netherlands as only Western nation with formal trade relations with Japan (Sakoku period).
2. 1854: 1854 Milestone — After an initial convention between the United States and Japan in 1854 (Convention of Kanagawa), the United States, the Netherlands, Russia, Great Britain and France succeeded each in concluding a treaty of amity and commerce with Japan in 1858, the so-called Ansei Treaties.
3. 1860: 1860 Milestone — The Treaty of Amity and Commerce between Japan and Portugal (日葡修好通商条約, Nichiro Shūkō Tsūshō Jōyaku - Tratado de Paz, Amizade e Commercio, entre Sua Magestade El Rei de Portugal e Sua Magestade o Imperador do Japão) was signed between Portugal and the Tokugawa Shogunate in Edo (now Tokyo) on August 3, 1860.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Treaty of Peace, Amity and Commerce between Portugal and Japan (1860)

True or False: “The 1860 treaty between Portugal and Japan was the first formal diplomatic agreement signed after the end of the Sakoku period.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The 1860 treaty was not the first; the Convention of Kanagawa with the United States in 1854 was the initial major agreement reopening relations.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aleksey Khomyakov — Historical peer (Died in 1860) (1860): Founding theoretician of the Slavophile movement in Russian philosophy.
• Alphonse Mucha — Historical peer (Born in 1860) (1860): Master of Art Nouveau, famed for decorative posters and The Slav Epic.
• Elizabeth Cary, Viscountess Falkland — Historical peer (Died in 1639) (1639): Pioneering English poet and dramatist, known for publishing the first original English play.
• Jean Racine — Historical peer (Born in 1639) (1639): Master tragedian of 17th-century France, celebrated for psychological depth.
• Albion Woodbury Small — Historical peer (Born in 1854) (1854): Pioneering American sociologist who established the first independent department of sociology in the US.
• Aletta Jacobs — Historical peer (Born in 1854) (1854): Pioneering Dutch physician and feminist, advocating for women's rights and reproductive health.
• 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.

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