Anglo-Japanese Friendship Treaty

Kanagawa, March 31, 1854. .


 * It is agreed between Sir James Stirling, Knight, Rear-Admiral, and Commander-in-chief of the ships and vessels of Her Britannic Majesty in the east Indies and seas adjacent, and Mezio-no Chekfu-no Kami, Obunyo of Nagasaki, and Nagai Evan Ocho, Omedski of Nagasaki, ordered by His Imperial highness the Emperor of Japan to act herein, that:-

The Ports of Nagasaki [Hizen] and Hakodadi [Matsumai] shall be open to British ships for the purposes of effecting repairs, and obtaining fresh water, provisions, and other supplies of any sort they may absolutely want for the use of the ships.

Nagasaki shall be open for the purposes aforesaid from and after the present date, and Hakodadi from and after the end of fifty days from the Admiral’s departure from this port. The rules and regulations of each of these ports are to be complied with.

Only ships in distress from weather, or unmanageable, will be permitted to enter other ports than those specified in the foregoing Articles, without permission from the Imperial Government.

British ships in Japanese ports shall conform to the laws of Japan. If high officers or commanders of ships shall break any such laws, it will lead to the ports being closed. Should inferior persons break them, they are to be delivered over to the commanders of their ships for punishment.

In the ports of Japan, either now open, or which may hereafter be opened, to the ships or subjects of any foreign nation, British ships and subjects shall be entitled to admission, and to the enjoyment of an equality of advantages accruing to the Dutch and Chinese from their existing relations with Japan.

This Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Nagasaki on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, and on behalf of His Highness the Emperor of Japan, within twelve months from the present date.

When this Convention shall be ratified, no high officer coming to Japan shall alter it.

In witness whereof we have signed the same, and have affixed our seals thereunto, at Nagasaki, this fourteenth day of October 1854. (L.S.) James Stirling

(HERE FOLLOW THE SIGNATURES					OF THE JAPANESE PLENIPOTENTIARIES)