Asiatic Society of Japan Essay

Japanology or the study of the Asiatic Society of Japan from 1853 was actually the records of the Expeditions sent by the American nation to negotiate with Japan to open their economy to international community. Although before the 1853, Perry Expedition, the Americans had attempted several times to establish economic relations with Japan but all the efforts failed as Japan maintained its Close-Door Policy to international community. As the United States earlier Expeditions suffered humiliation due to Japan’s refusal to their intentions, and because of reports about Japanese barbarous attitude heard from survivors of ship wreck in Japanese waters, the United States had gotten a keen interest in Japan sending a large expeditionary force under Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853 to force Japan to open their economy and to demand them kind treatment of the American castaways and shipwreck survivors. Thus, the Perry Expedition was rather business oriented than any other purpose though there were also others who joined for scientific exploration and still others for less noble purpose or for personal advancement. As this paper dig more on the many books about Asiatic Society of Japan, as well as into the Perry Expedition. The writer found out that most of the authors of those books talk about how Japan reacted on the forcible intrusion of United States ships merely to force Japan to open their economy and do business with the Americans and in the international arena. Thus, this paper discussed Japanology and the Asiatic Society of Japan based on the perspective of the majority of authors towards the subject. Though, it also provides information on the activities of the Western men while in Japan during this period, but it is quite brief due to limited sources. The main information would be on the effect of Perry and the American men on the Asiatic society of Japan and how Japan viewed the Western arrogance and intrusion on Japanese soil particularly the Perry Expedition. In the book ‘With Perry to Japan,’ William Heine disclosed that the purpose of the USS Columbus and the USS Vensennes of sailing half way around the world was to find answer whether Japan would end â€Å"two hundred years of isolation and become friends and begin trade† (p. 1). But these American sailors were pushed back with remarked from the authorities to â€Å"depart as quickly as possible, and not come anymore in Japan† (p. 1). But the stubborn Americans made more attempts to do business with Japan but Japan seemed to be determined to close its door to foreign relations. Heines puts it â€Å"Japan seemed determined to remain as it had been since 1638: shut† (p. 1). With much of rejection and humiliation, the United States sent a large force under Commodore Matthew Perry as a show of force to force them to open their economy in international community. Heine pointed out that the Americans â€Å"wanted exploration, surveys and charts, and protection for castaways and trade† (p. 2). But Perry’s show of force was quite a show of arrogance of the American nation as they would bring such armada of ships merely to compel Japan to open their economy. Heines noted that â€Å"Perry’s order was assertive and could be taken as pugnacious† (p. 3). Heines further said that Perry was instructed â€Å"to shoot his way out if it is needed† (p. 3). Because of such a large force comprising of eight ships, over two hundred cannon and heavy gun, and more than two thousand men, Japan was forced to comply and Perry’s expedition broke into Japanese Island forcing them into international arena (p. 4). In the eyes of Western countries, Japan’s attitude towards the West’s attempt to penetrated Japan with their social, cultural and religious and industrial influence was tyranny. Japan was accused of mistreating Americans and other foreigner and of insulting Christianity and so forth. Heines pointed out that the prevailing Western opinion that Japan halted â€Å"the advancement of science and hindered navigation by blocking exploration, preventing survey and refusing to exchange information† (p. 5). Japanese internal policies and actions were viewed as â€Å"unjust, as wrongs to right prima facie, and their own as right to be asserted de facto† (p. 5). Indeed, Japan was merely protecting itself from Western influence under the banner of nationalism. In the words of Heines, â€Å"a country sought to be left alone and bothered nobody unless bothered by somebody† (p. 5), was suddenly intruded by foreigner. Japan was dragged into international arena mainly because of one sided interest, that of America. Japan had to choose either to accept the American terms or risk their country of losing in battle. In the words of Heines, Japan carefully studied the terms and decided to â€Å"grant the request of those people to trade and communicate with them, learn their drills and tactics, and go abroad to prepare [themselves]† (p. 5). According to an article entitled ‘Transaction of the Asiatic Society of Japan’ revealed the American’s coming in Japan was through the invitation of a Japanese named Neriaki. The article said that Neriaki was able to send letter to a Japanese who managed to get away to American inviting Americans to come to Japan (p. 111). It was this letter that became the prelude to Commodore Dewey to make assertion to Japanese authorities of his coming in 1853. The letter indeed was in arrogant tune. William Gerald Beasley stated that although the American intention was to establish â€Å"friendship and intercourse between the people of two respective countries, yet it was a one-sided transaction. Beasley pointed out that the United States’ statement in the letter, â€Å"we desire to explain to you how great is the United States, and if you refuse to enter into an arrangement, we shall commence hostilities† (Beasley, p. 3). During this time Japan was living in peace and had no internal troubles as Beasley puts it, the â€Å"military class enjoyed a long peace and neglected military arts; they had given themselves up to luxury and pleasure, and there were very few who had put on armor for many years† (p. 3). Thus, the visit of the American ships intended to make peace and friendship brought troubles and confusion on a country living in peace and their citizens living in prosperity. The visit was indeed a little of short to be described as an aggression, because as Beasley described the nature of how the Americans made their entry. Beasley writes, â€Å"In the autumn of the year 1864, during the reign of the 122nd sovereign of the human dynasty, a disturbance took place at Kyto the like of which had not accord since the first origin of Japan. Arms were resorted to and bullets flew about the imperial palace; nay more than half of it was burnt in a conflagration which arose out of the fight. The fierce flames lighted up the heavens, and huge waves overwhelmed the earth† (p. 1). No wonder, the Japanese viewed both the Americans and the British Barbarians. Beasley noted the Japanese authorities were aware of the plunder made by the English Barbarians during the Opium War and the incursion of the US ships a warning and to avoid war, they hard better grant though Japan gave into American demand but in their mind â€Å"the Americans were watching their country with greedy eye for many years† (Beasley, p. 5). As Japan was drag into the international arena Japan was forced to abandon policies of seclusion. Marius B. Jansen noted that Japan was compelled to â€Å"enter the international order on terms defined by the West† (Jansen, p.294). Jansen pointed out that Japan struggled to regain its sovereignty and was forced to â€Å"embarked on policies of centralization and institutional innovation in order to build a modern nation-state and the basic restructuring of domestic society† (Jansen, p. 294). Jensen further said that as Japan moved on further in their new order of domestic reconstruction, what has began as defensive steps to head a perceived Western threat was soon followed by membership in that military and economic order that had first challenged them (Jansen, p. 294). Jansen also pointed out that in the course of Perry and Harry’s negation with the Shogunate of Japan to open their economy to the international community Tokugawa Nariaki which previously sent the letter to America inviting them to come to Japan, â€Å"played a prominent role in opposition to the way Japan responded to the demands of Perry and of Harries (Jansen, p. 295). As more developments taking place in Japan with the presence of the Western forces on the shore of Japan, the foreigners made more contributions to the demolition of Japan’s social and cultural values in the areas where they were to be found. Jansen said â€Å"Japanese entrepreneurs were not slow to set up places of amusements for sailors. And the prints Sadahide provide colorful documentation of partying in the Yokohama Genkiro and other brothels† (Jansen, p. 317). The Wild Wild West behavior of these foreigners not only puzzled ordinary Japanese by these self-confident outsiders but also disrupted moral order of the Japanese life. Jansen puts it, â€Å"no one can question the advisability of men’s providing themselves with pistols, but picnic excursions to islets in Edo Bay that ended with target shooting (p. 317), that even the bravest Samurai for all their courage were helpless to do anything and forced to accept the reality and humiliation that unconscionable behavior was an infuriating reminder of inferiority (Jansen, p. 317). Japanese thought that Westerners will destroy Japanese political structure through the â€Å"diffusion of Christianity, while others felt that these are desecrating sacred soil by their presence and they feared that tolerating their entry invited a form of colonialism. † Thus, during the Western’s first attempts, Japan treated them indifferently which was a normal and ordinary reaction but the US viewed it as tyranny.