U.S.–Japan Treaties: From 1854 to Modern Tax Agreements
This paper surveys the major treaties between the United States and Japan from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twenty-first century. Beginning with the 1854 Empire of Japan Treaty (Convention of Kanagawa), which opened Japanese ports to American ships, the paper traces the development of bilateral relations through the 1858 Harris Treaty, which established treaty ports and extraterritoriality. It then examines the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty, which formally ended World War II and recognized Japan's sovereignty, before concluding with the 2003 U.S.–Japan income tax convention designed to prevent double taxation and fiscal evasion. Together, these agreements illustrate how a once-turbulent relationship evolved into a stable, cooperative partnership.
- Introduction: Overview of U.S.–Japan treaty history
- The Empire of Japan Treaty (1854): Port access, shipwreck protections, and trade rules
- The 1858 Harris Treaty: Treaty ports, extraterritoriality, and foreign merchants
- The San Francisco Peace Treaty (1951): Ending WWII and restoring Japanese sovereignty
- The U.S.–Japan Tax Treaty (2003): Preventing double taxation on cross-border income
- Conclusion: Treaties forged a durable bilateral partnership
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What makes this paper effective
- Chronological organization gives readers a clear sense of how U.S.–Japan relations evolved across nearly 170 years, with each treaty building logically on the last.
- Direct quotation from primary treaty texts grounds the analysis in authoritative sources and shows the student's engagement with original documents rather than secondary summaries alone.
- Transitions between sections (e.g., explaining how the 1854 treaty shaped the 1858 Harris Treaty) create cohesion and demonstrate understanding of historical causality.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper consistently moves between broad context and specific treaty language. Rather than merely describing what a treaty accomplished, the student cites exact article numbers and quotations, then explains their significance. This citation-then-analysis pattern is a foundational technique in history and political science writing.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a brief framing introduction, then devotes a substantial section to each of four treaties in chronological order: the 1854 Convention of Kanagawa, the 1858 Harris Treaty, the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty, and the 2003 double-taxation convention. A short conclusion synthesizes the significance of each agreement. The structure is straightforward and well-suited to a comparative survey of primary legal documents.
Introduction
The United States and Japan have a relationship that has been both turbulent and triumphant. For many years the two nations have participated in treaties that encourage cooperation and growth. The purpose of this paper is to provide information concerning the various treaties that have existed between the United States of America and Japan, tracing the arc of a diplomatic relationship from its nineteenth-century origins to the early twenty-first century.
The Empire of Japan Treaty (1854)
The Convention of Kanagawa — commonly called the Empire of Japan Treaty — was signed on March 31, 1854. Prior to its signing, most foreign traders were prevented from trading along the coast of Japan. The treaty arose as a result of problems that occurred when American ships received unfair treatment after being shipwrecked off the Japanese coast. American ships had also frequently been treated unfairly when docking for repairs or provisions.
The first article of the treaty asserts that there "shall be a perfect, permanent and universal peace" between America and Japan. It further declares that peace shall exist between the peoples of both nations and calls for unity between the two countries.
The second article of the treaty goes into specific detail regarding the treatment of American ships while in Japan. It states that the port of Simoda, in the principality of Idzu, and the port of Hakodade, in the principality of Matsmai (Hokkaido), are granted by the Japanese as ports for the reception of American ships, where they can be supplied with wood, water, provisions, coal, and other articles their necessities may require, as far as the Japanese have them. The time for opening the first-named port was immediately upon signing the treaty; the last-named port was to be opened on the same day in the ensuing Japanese year. This article also stipulates that Japanese officers would be paid in silver and gold coins for materials furnished to American ships.
The third article provides details related to what should occur if American ships wreck off the coast of Japan. Japanese ships were obligated to assist the crews by taking them to Simoda or Hakodade. This article also stipulates that any expenses incurred as a result of such a rescue at the shore of either nation would not be refunded. The fourth article is related to the third in that it prohibits either country from holding shipwrecked persons in jail. The fifth article further asserts that shipwrecked persons, along with other American citizens living temporarily in Simoda, would not be subject to the same restrictions and confinement as the Chinese or Dutch were at Nagasaki. Instead, such persons would be permitted to travel freely within a seven-mile radius.
Article six addresses the handling of business arrangements for goods desired by either party, calling for special deliberation between the parties on such matters. Article seven ensures that American ships would be permitted to exchange gold and silver coins and trade goods, and explains that the Japanese government would be responsible for developing regulations to govern such trade. Article eight specifies that provisions and goods for American ships could only be supplied by designated Japanese officers. Article nine guarantees that any additional rights granted to citizens of other nations at a later date must also be extended to American citizens without delay and without consultation. Article ten establishes that American ships were only to enter the designated ports of Simoda and Hakodade, unless driven by severe weather or some other form of distress.
The eleventh article describes the appointment of agents or consuls to reside in Simoda. The final article assures that all other articles of the treaty would be adhered to by the American and Japanese governments and by the citizens of both nations.
This treaty was one of the first of many to be signed between the United States and Japan. It established clear rules for the treatment of American vessels while in Japan and played an integral role in the development of the 1858 Harris Treaty, discussed in the following section.
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