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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

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Early Diplomatic Relations with Japan

Early Diplomatic Relations with Japan

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Artifacts Relating to Early Diplomatic Relations with Japan

Introduction

Having been opened to western trade reluctantly, the Japanese people soon displayed a great thirst for information about Americans, at first for the Sailors and Marines, and ships that accompanied the Commodore Matthew C. Perry Expedition, and later for more general information about their country and their way of life.

Though drawn in an Asian style that is unfamiliar to western eyes, the depictions and the accompanying text are as accurate of western people and objects as western depictions were of eastern people and objects.