The Isolation of Japan
During the 1800s Japan was trading widely with surrounding countries. Japan made contact with the west when Ieyasu Tokugawa became shogun in 1603. It was trading with countries as far away as Portugal, the Netherlands, England and Spain. However by the 17th century, Japan had forced all foreigners to leave and barred almost all relations with the outside world. Japan’s policy of Sakoku (isolation) lasted for 200 years.
U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry showed up on the shores of japan in 1853.He went to ask (or demand) that Japan open its ports to trade and restocking of ships from other countries. He returned in 1854, with seven ships and forced the Shogun to sign the Treaty of Peace and Amity at the convention of Kanagawa. Within five years of the convention of Kanagawa, other treaties were signed with the Netherlands, Britain, France, and Russia, and foreigners once again established settlements in Japan. One factor in the decision to very rapidly westernize the nation was that they were afraid of ending up like China, dominated and divided among various western colonial powers. So they urged the citizenry to adopt western mannerisms and even morality as quickly as possible, as kind of civic duty.