Why the Perry Expedition Was Sent
By 1850, the United States had become increasingly interested in Japan. One reason was the American whaling industry. American whaling ships began to operate out of the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), and found themselves in the stormy and dangerous waters surrounding the Kurile Islands and Northern Japan. Shipwrecks were not uncommon. Ships that managed to survive serious storms needed ports for repairs and emergency aid. But after 1825 all Japanese were ordered to fire on any vessels that attempted to approach the Japanese shore. Sailors in distress who landed in Japan were arrested. The American press, hearing about the harsh experiences of American seamen in Japan, called for Congress to ensure better treatment for their sailors shipwrecked on Japanese shores.

A second reason for the growing U.S. interest in Japan involved the Navy. By mid-century the American Navy was in the process of changing from sail to steam. Steamships, while more powerful than sail, needed coaling, or refueling, stations. These stations were particularly necessary in order for ships to reach China. Japan was conveniently located and was known to have ample coal supplies. An open port in Japan where coal could be purchased was a high priority for the U.S. Navy and for other American shippers.

A third reason for America's increasing interest in Japan and the Pacific stemmed from the sense that "America's Manifest Destiny" lay out in the Pacific. Having pushed across the continent, Americans now sought new frontiers. Moreover the American Church, which possessed its own "mission" ideals of "civilizing and Christianizing Asia," saw Japan as a particularly important target for its activities. Missionary societies therefore joined in lobbying Congress for an expedition to Japan. They wanted Japan opened for Christianity.

Even before the Perry Expedition Americans had made several efforts to renew relations with Japan. Yet each of these had ended in failure for several reasons. In 1837 several American missionaries and an American businessman in Shanghai tried to send an unarmed ship, the Morrison, to Edo Bay. The purpose was to return several Japanese castaways, and they hoped by this humanitarian would cause the Japanese to open the country to western nations. But the Morrison was fired on by Edo shore batteries and withdrew. In 1846 a U.S. Navy expedition headed by Commodore Biddle, entered Edo Bay, but Biddle proved a weak negotiator and his mission also failed. The following year, in 1847, Commander Glyn took his warship, the Preble, into Nagasaki harbor. While Glyn threatened to use force and managed to obtain the release of sixteen shipwrecked American sailors, he was rebuffed when it came to further negotiations. It was against a background of failure that the U.S. Congress called for another mission to be sent to Japan in 1852. This time the Americans wanted results. They hung their hopes on Matthew Calbraith Perry.

Japan Before Perry's Arrival

Mathew Perry and the Perry Expedition

Black Ship Tour