670 THE JAPANESE NATION. ■ 



from abroad continued to shine upon Japan. Shipwrecked crews were 

 cast upon the shores; foreign ships were seen sailing- past, and occa- 

 sionally anchored in some port for water or repairs or trade. By slow 

 degrees a few Japanese became desirous to see more of these foreign- 

 ers, for although outside barbarians, they yet knew many things of 

 which the Japanese were ignorant. These inquirers and seekers after 

 knowledge belonged to the class of men we call radicals. 



About the middle of this century, the Mikado, a man of greater ability 

 than his predecessors, determined to recover the power formerly wrested 

 from his ancestors, and on conference with some of the Daimios found 

 they were dissatisfied with the Government of the Shogun and desired 

 to restore the power to the Mikado, "for all men hated the Shogun 

 while all men loved the Mikado." The radicals naturally joined the 

 Mikado, thinking any change would give greater freedom and lead to 

 intercourse with that other world of which they knew so little; others of 

 a conservative temperament as naturally desired the reestablishment 

 of the old system. Many were therefore united in opposition to the 

 Shogun. 



It was about this time, viz, 1853, that Matthew G. Perry, commander 

 of a naval expedition of the United States, visited Japan and demanded 

 the opening of certain ports to American commerce. After making 

 known his mission he left, saying that be should return and then remain 

 until the ports of Japan were opened. The next; year he returned and 

 renewed his demands with great tact and moderation. The Shogun, 

 finding himself without support, was compelled to yield and sign the 

 treaty. England and other European powers immediately followed the 

 example of America, and compelled Japan to make treaties with them. 

 The ports were opened in 1859 and 1860, but for several years there 

 was very little trade; the lives, even, of foreigners were unsafe away 

 from their nag. It was only by slow degrees that Western civilization 

 was brought to Japan and the barriers to intercourse and progress 

 removed. The Mikado slowly recovered his old powers, whilethe Sho- 

 gun lost all his authority. 



Then old Japan passed away; the physical environments remained, 

 all others were changed. An experiment novel in history began. The 

 closed country was opened; instead of the exclusion of foreigners, they 

 were invited from all parts of the civilized world. Natives under the 

 old regime had been forbidden to leave Japan under pain of death. 

 Now, a commission of the highest nobles, with four cabinet ministers, 

 was sent to the United States, Germany, England, and France, to 

 study their systems of government, education, finance, justice, and relig- 

 ion, and the organization of their armies and navies. Japanese youths 

 ay ere sent abroad for education, and men of high reputation were brought 

 from other countries as professors and teachers. The Japanese, though 

 respecting themselves and their own civilization, realized that in many 

 respects it differed from that of Western nations, and was capable of 

 development. 



