M.C. Perry and Japan (XVII)

During the working level discussion that took place in the ensuing few days Yezaimjon added a new interpreter Moriyama Yenosuke. He learned English from an American sailor who had been a captive in Japan.1 Upon Perry's request, Yezaimon provided names of the five Japanese officials who would take part in the treaty negotiation on shore. Soon it was decided that Perry would land on March 8th. On the day at 11.30 am 500 Americans in batches landed in military formation. Salute guns were fired by the vessels. Inside the treaty house built by the Japanese, the room temperature was kept comfortable by using copper braziers of burning charcoal standing on lacquered wooden stands distributed around freely. Perry and his team were seated at the left side of the hall. The Japanese had five commissioners, Hayashi-Daigaku-no-kami, prince councilor, was the chief member of the team.2 Moriyama Yenosuke was the principle interpreter of the Japanese. The Japanese commissioners started the meeting by asking Yenosuke to communicate their regards to the health of Perry, then refreshment consisting of tea in porcelain cups, cakes and confectionery were handed around. Afterwards the Japanese commissioners suggested to start the negotiation in another smaller room. In this smaller room, the chief commissioner gave Perry a roll of paper which provided answers the letter from the US president. In essence the reply said that it was quite impossible for the Japanese to give a satisfactory answers to the requests at once. While agreeing to the need of the American for coal, wood, water, provision from a Japanese harbor, it would need five years for Japan to make it ready a harbour which might be proposed by the American.3 However, if the American could consider using Nagasaki, they could start using it by February next year (1855). In reply Perry remarked that the US wanted a treaty with Japan similar to the one signed between the US and China a few years earlier. If he failed, more US ships would probably come to Japan to seek one.(to be continued)


Notes:
1. 1. Perry, Matthew Calbraith ed. by Sidney Wallach. Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan. NY: Coward-McCann, 1952, page 148.
2. Ibid., page 156
3. Ibid., page 159