Townsend Harris: First Consul General of the United States to Japan (1858-1862)

Introduction

• Townsend Harris was the first Consul General of the United States to Japan.
• Founder of the City University of New York.
• Known for the US-Japan Treaty of Amity and Commerce (Harris Treaty).

Early Diplomatic Efforts

• Trade Treaty with Siam (Thailand)
  • Harris emphasized peaceful commercial relations.
  • Quote: US does not desire Eastern colonies, seeking mutual benefits in relations.
• Arrived in Japan on August 21, 1856, aiming for a commerce treaty with Japan.

Establishment in Japan

• Resided at Gyokusen ji temple in Shimoda, declaring it his consulate.
• Negotiated a treaty draft with Shimoda officials.
  • Allowed for some extraterritoriality, residency, trading, and movement privileges for Americans.

Challenges and Negotiations

• Opposition from many Japanese daimyô regarding US's resident consul in Edo.
• Assassination attempt on Harris by Mito han residents.
• Negotiations with Hotta Masayoshi (gaik k jim t riats kai) for diplomatic and commercial relations.
• Harris demanded presenting a letter to the shogun, causing tensions with Japanese officials.

Harris Treaty (1858)

• Negotiations dominated by Harris's demands; Japanese resistance.
• Treaty signed on July 29, 1858, after two years.
• Opened multiple ports to US trade, granted extraterritoriality.
• Restricted American freedom of movement in Kyoto, but opened Osaka, Hyôgo, and Edo.

Treaty Provisions

• Appointment of diplomatic agents and consuls by both countries.
• Opening of ports: Kanagawa (Yokohama), Nagasaki, Niigata, and Hyôgo.
• Extraterritoriality for Americans in Japan.
• Freedom of religion for Americans; restrictions on disrespecting Japanese religious sites.
• Tariff control and trade rights given to the US.
• Most-favored-nation status for the US.
• Japanese prohibition on building barriers around American settlements.

Impact and Legacy

• First treaty establishing modern diplomatic relations between Japan and a Western power.
• Set the stage for Japan's modernization and Westernization efforts.
• Influenced by the Convention of Kanagawa (1854) and similar treaties with other nations.
• Provoked internal Japanese dissent and led to the dispatch of a Japanese mission to the US in 1860.

Conclusion

• Townsend Harris returned to the US in 1862.
• His relationship with a geisha named Okichi inspired cultural works like "Madame Butterfly."
• The Harris Treaty marked a significant shift in US-Japan relations, impacting diplomatic and economic interactions.