KOMEI

The Emperor and many Japanese did not want foreign trading missions in the country. (see {613126}.) The problem at the time had nothing to do with the potential economic effects of trade on domestic industry or balance of payments, but for the Japanese was strictly a cultural problem. They were in great fear of what today some call “cultural imperialism”--the adoption of a foreign culture. The Japanese had been so fearful of cultural influence of foreigners that when some Japanese fishermen’s boat had been sunk and they had been rescued by foreign seamen and returned to Japan, they were executed as they had been “contaminated” and could “contaminate” the rest of the population. The government was in disarray ({613125}) and the military did not feel strong enough to take on the foreigners. Note the appeal of the line of Emperors of whom Komei was the 121st.

The Emperor and many Japanese did not want foreign trading missions in the country. (see {613126}.) The problem at the time had nothing to do with the potential economic effects of trade on domestic industry or balance of payments, but for the Japanese was strictly a cultural problem. They were in great fear of what today some call “cultural imperialism”--the adoption of a foreign culture. The Japanese had been so fearful of cultural influence of foreigners that when some Japanese fishermen’s boat had been sunk and they had been rescued by foreign seamen and returned to Japan, they were executed as they had been “contaminated” and could “contaminate” the rest of the population. The government was in disarray ({613125}) and the military did not feel strong enough to take on the foreigners. Note the appeal of the line of Emperors of whom Komei was the 121st.