Japan–United Kingdom relations

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Japanese–British relations
Map indicating locations of Japan and United Kingdom

Japan

United Kingdom
Diplomatic mission
British Embassy, Tokyo
Envoy
Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom
Hayashi Hajime
(since 7 December 2020)
Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Japan
Julia Longbottom
(since 1 March 2021)
Prime Minister of Japan and the United Kingdom, Fumio Kishida and Rishi Sunak (respectively) for a bilateral meeting at the Tower of London on 11 January 2023

Japan–United Kingdom relations (日英関係, Nichieikankei) are the bilateral and diplomatic relations between Japan and the United Kingdom.

History

The history of the relationship between Japan and England began in 1600 with the arrival of

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said that Japan is "one of [Britain]'s closest partners in Asia".[citation needed
]

Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy are planning to establish a control tower for the joint development of a next-generation fighter jet by fiscal 2024.[1]

Chronology of Japanese–British relations

Beginning

Early

(1564–1620)
Tokyo University
archives)

Sakoku

Japan and Kore (1646)
  • 1646.
    Mercator Projection
    .
  • 1668. 25 February. Henry Oldenburg addresses the Royal Society on the letters of Richard Cocks, particularly noting English trading privileges from the time of Cocks, striking new interest in trade with Japan in England. Based on this new interest, surviving member of the original factory William Eaton (fl.1613-1668), was contacted in order to reopen trade between England and Japan.[8]
  • 1670. John Ogilby publishes the first translation of Atlas Japanensis in London, reprinted in 1671 & 1673.[9]
  • 1670. The EIC factories are set up at modern day Taiwan (1670–1685) after Koxinqa invites the British to set up a factory.[10]
  • 1672.
    Tongking
    EIC factory begins operations (along with 'Tywan') with the intention by the British to be used as bases for further trade with Japan.
  • 1673. An English ship named Returner visited
    Roman Catholic Church
    .
Moxon's 1681 World Map showing Iapan

1854–1900

First Japanese Embassy to Europe
, in 1862
Japanese Village in Knightsbridge, 1886

20th century

  • 1902. The Japanese–British alliance was signed in London on 30 January. It was a diplomatic milestone that saw an end to Britain's splendid isolation, and removed the need for Britain to build up its navy in the Pacific.[15][16]
  • 1905. The Japanese–British alliance was renewed and expanded. Official diplomatic relations were upgraded, with ambassadors being exchanged for the first time.
  • 1907. In July, British thread company J. & P. Coats launched Teikoku Seishi and began to thrive.
  • 1908. The
    Japan-British Society
    was founded in order to foster cultural and social understanding.
  • 1909. Fushimi Sadanaru returns to Britain to convey the thanks of the Japanese government for British advice and assistance during the Russo-Japanese War.
Guide to the Japan–British Exhibition of 1910
  • 1910. Sadanaru represents Japan at the state funeral of Edward VII, and meets the new king
    George V
    at Buckingham Palace.
  • 1910. The Japan–British Exhibition is held at Shepherd's Bush in London. Japan made a successful effort to display its new status as a great power by emphasizing its new role as a colonial power in Asia.[17]
  • 1911. The
    Japanese – British alliance was renewed with approval of the quasi-independent dominions
    (i.e. at the time, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Newfoundland and South Africa).
  • 1913. The IJN Kongō, the last of the British-built warships for Japan's navy, enters service.
  • 1914–1915. Japan joined World War I as Britain's ally under the terms of the alliance and captured German-occupied Tsingtao (Qingdao) in China Mainland. They also help Australia and New Zealand capture archipelagos like the Marshall Islands and the Mariana Islands.
  • 1915. The Twenty-One Demands would have given Japan varying degrees of control over all of China, and would have prohibited European powers from extending their influence in China any further. It is eventually scrapped.[18]
  • 1917. The Imperial Japanese Navy helps the Royal Navy and allied navies patrol the Mediterranean against Central Powers ships.
  • 1917–1935. Close relationships between the two country steadily worsens.[19]
  • 1919. Japan proposes a
    racial equality clause in negotiations to form the League of Nations, calling for "making no distinction, either in law or in fact, on account of their race or nationality."[20] Britain, which supports the racially discriminatory laws in the dominions, such as the White Australia policy
    , cannot assent, and the proposal is rejected.
  • 1921. Britain indicates it will not renew the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902 primarily because of opposition from the United States and also Canada.[21]
  • 1921. Crown Prince Hirohito visited Britain and other Western European countries. It was the first time that a Japanese crown prince had traveled overseas.
  • 1921. Arrival in September of the Sempill Mission in Japan, a British technical mission for the development of Japanese Aero-naval forces. It provided the Japanese with flying lessons and advice on building aircraft carriers; the British aviation experts kept close watch on Japan after that.[22]
  • 1922. Washington Naval Conference concluding in the Four-Power Treaty, Five-Power Treaty, and Nine-Power Treaty; major naval disarmament for 10 years with sharp reduction of Royal Navy & Imperial Navy. The Treaties specify that the relative naval strengths of the major powers are to be UK = 5, US = 5, Japan = 3, France = 1.75, Italy = 1.75. The powers will abide by the treaty for ten years, then begin a naval arms race.[23]
  • 1922. Edward, Prince of Wales travelling on HMS Renown, arrives in Yokohama on 12 April for a four-week official visit to Japan.
  • 1923. The Japanese-British alliance was officially discontinued on 17 August in response to U.S. and Canadian pressure.
  • 1930. The London disarmament conference angers Japanese Army and Navy. Japan's navy demanded parity with the United States and Britain, but was rejected; it maintained the existing ratios and Japan was required to scrap a capital ship. Extremists assassinate Japan's prime minister, and the military takes more power.[24]
  • 1931. September. Japanese Army seizes control of Manchuria, which China has not controlled in decades. It sets up a puppet government. Britain and France effectively control the League of Nations, which issues the Lytton Report in 1932, saying that Japan had genuine grievances, but it acted illegally in seizing the entire province. Japan quits the League, Britain takes no action.[25][26]
  • 1934. The Royal Navy sends ships to Tokyo to take part in a naval parade in honour of the late Admiral
    Nelson
    of the East".
  • 1937. The Kamikaze, a prototype of the Mitsubishi Ki-15, travels from Tokyo to London, the first Japanese-built aircraft to land in Europe, for the coronation of George VI and Elizabeth. Prince and Princess Chichibu represent Japan at the coronation.
  • 1938 Yokohama Specie Bank acquired HSBC.[27]
  • 1939. The
    Tientsin Incident almost causes an Anglo-Japanese war when the Japanese blockade the British concession in Tientsin
    , China.

World War II

Post War

Diana, Princess of Wales visited both in 1986 and 1995.

21st century

Second Japan-UK Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting on 8 January 2016 in Tokyo

See also the chronology on the website of

British Embassy, Tokyo.[61]

Britons in Japan

Embassy of the United Kingdom in Tokyo

The chronological list of

Heads of the United Kingdom Mission in Japan
.

Japanese in the United Kingdom

Embassy of Japan in London

The family name is given in italics. Usually the family name comes first in regards to Japanese historical figures, but in modern times not so for the likes of Kazuo Ishiguro and Katsuhiko Oku, both well known in the United Kingdom.

Sadayakko as Ophelia in Hamuretto (1903)

Education

Japanese School in London
In Japan
  • British School in Tokyo
In the UK
Former institutions in the UK

List of Japanese diplomatic envoys in the United Kingdom (partial list)

Ministers plenipotentiary

Ambassadors

List of ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Japan

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Johnson, Jesse (21 November 2023). "Japan joint fighter development group planned for fiscal '24". The Japan Times. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  2. ^ Samurai William, Giles Milton, 2003
  3. ^ English Dreams and Japanese Realities: Anglo-Japanese Encounters Around the Globe, 1587-1673, Thomas Lockley, 2019, Revista de Cultura, p 126
  4. ^ The observations of Sir Richard Hawkins, Knt in his voyage into the South sea in the year 1593 :reprinted from the edition of 1622, Charles Ramsay Drinkwater Bethune, Richard Hawkins, 1847[1622], p.7
  5. ^ Stephen Turnbull, Fighting ships of the Far East (2), p 12, Osprey Publishing
  6. ^ Notice at the Tower of London
  7. ^ The Red Seal permit was re-discovered in 1985 by Professor Hayashi Nozomu, in the Bodleian Library. Massarella, Derek; Tytler Izumi K. (1990) "The Japonian Charters" Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 45, No. 2, pp 189–205.
  8. ^ See https://www.haringey.gov.uk/sites/haringeygovuk/files/pages_from_connections_3_-_pages_16-23.pdf p.20
  9. ^ https://www.electricscotland.com/history/nation/ogilby.htm (Accessed 2 March 2021)
  10. ^ See The English factory in Taiwan, 1670-1685, 1995, Anthony Farrington, Ts'ao Yung-ho, Chang Hsiu-jung, Huang Fu-san, Wu Mi-tsa, pp.1-20, National Taiwan University, Taipei
  11. ^ See
  12. ^ see https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Jy0QAAAAYAAJ&rdid=book-Jy0QAAAAYAAJ&rdot=1 (Accessed 12/04/2022)
  13. ^ Thierry Mormanne : "La prise de possession de l'île d'Urup par la flotte anglo-française en 1855", Revue Cipango, "Cahiers d'études japonaises", No 11 hiver 2004 pp. 209–236.
  14. ^ Information about 1885–87 Japanese exhibition at Knightsbridge
  15. ^ Phillips Payson O'Brien, The Anglo-Japanese Alliance, 1902–1922. (2004).
  16. ^ William Langer, The Diplomacy of Imperialism 1890–1902 (2nd ed. 1950), pp. pp 745–86.
  17. ^ John L. Hennessey, "Moving up in the world: Japan's manipulation of colonial imagery at the 1910 Japan–British Exhibition." Museum History Journal 11.1 (2018): 24-41.
  18. S2CID 144501814
    .
  19. ^ Malcolm Duncan Kennedy, The Estrangement of Great Britain and Japan, 1917-35 (Manchester UP, 1969).
  20. S2CID 154765654
    .
  21. ^ J. Bartlet Brebner, "Canada, the Anglo-Japanese alliance and the Washington conference." Political Science Quarterly 50.1 (1935): 45-58. online
  22. ^ Bruce M. Petty, "Jump-Starting Japanese Naval Aviation." Naval History (2019) 33#6 pp 48-53.
  23. .
  24. .
  25. ^ A.J.P. Taylor, English History: 1914–1945 (1965) pp 370–72.
  26. ^ David Wen-wei Chang, "The Western Powers and Japan's Aggression in China: The League of Nations and" The Lytton Report"." American Journal of Chinese Studies (2003): 43–63. online
  27. ^ Xiao Yiping, Guo Dehong, 中国抗日战争全史 Archived 4 January 2017 at the Wayback MachineChapter 87: Japan 's Colonial Economic Plunder and Colonial Culture, 1993.
  28. ^ Thomas S. Wilkins, "Anatomy of a Military Disaster: The Fall of" Fortress Singapore" 1942." Journal of Military History 73.1 (2009): 221–230.
  29. .
  30. ^ Peter Lowe, "After fifty years: the San Francisco Peace Treaty in the context of Anglo-Japanese relations, 1902–52." Japan Forum 15#3 (2003) pp 389–98.
  31. ^ Protocole entre le Gouvernement du Japon et le Gouvernement de la République française, 1957. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan.
  32. ^ a b "Ceremonies: State visits". Official web site of the British Monarchy. Archived from the original on 6 November 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  33. .
  34. ^ "LinguaNews.com".
  35. ^ The British-Japanese Parliamentary Group, About us, official site.
  36. .
  37. ^ "Helen McCarthy – Re-creating Anime History: The Development of British Anime Fandom and the Developing Comprehension of Anime History as a Transnational Phenomenon – Animation Studies". Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  38. ^ "UK: Akihito closes state visit". BBC News. 29 May 1998. Retrieved 25 November 2008.
  39. ^ "HRH The Duke of Cambridge to visit Japan and China – Focus on cultural exchange and creative partnerships". princeofwales.gov.uk/. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  40. ^ Parker, George (4 September 2016). "Japan calls for 'soft' Brexit – or companies could leave UK". Financial Times. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  41. ^ "Kamall: UK can replicate new EU-Japan trade deal". Conservative Europe. 12 December 2018.
  42. ^ "UK and Japan agree historic free trade agreement". GOV.UK. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  43. ^ "UK and Japan reach new defense deal amid Russia concerns". Associated Press. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  44. ^ a b "UK and Japan sign military agreement amid Russia concerns". BBC News. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  45. ^ "Japan, U.K. agree on defense pact amid China's rise in Indo-Pacific". Kyodo News. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  46. ^ "Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship arrives in London". NHK. Archived from the original on 23 June 2022.
  47. ^ "Japan's Imperial Couple attend Queen Elizabeth's state funeral without masks". Mainichi Shimbun. 20 September 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  48. ^ "UK and Japan to sign major defence deal as PM Kishida visits London". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  49. ^ a b Daly, Patrick (11 January 2023). "Rishi Sunak and Japanese PM to agree closer defence links at Tower of London". Evening Standard. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  50. ^ a b Smout, Alistair (11 January 2023). "Britain, Japan sign defence pact during PM Kishida visit to London". Reuters. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  51. ^ Daly, Patrick (11 January 2023). "Rishi Sunak and Japanese PM to agree closer defence links at Tower of London". The Independent. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  52. ^ Brown, Faye (11 January 2023). "Rishi Sunak and Japanese PM sign 'most significant defence agreement in a century'". Sky News. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  53. ^ Smout, Alistair (11 January 2023). "Britain, Japan to sign defence pact during PM Kishida visit to London". Reuters. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  54. ISSN 0307-1235
    . Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  55. GOV.UK. From Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street and The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP. 11 January 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link
    )
  56. ^ "Japan's Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko Arrive at Kings Charles's Coronation". Town & Country. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  57. ^ "PM to agree historic UK-Japan Accord ahead of G7". gov.uk. 17 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  58. ^ "Japan-UK Leader's Working Dinner". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan. 17 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  59. ^ "The Hiroshima Accord: an Enhanced Japan-UK Global Strategic Partnership" (PDF). Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan. 17 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  60. ^ "'A significant milestone for UK trade': Britain signs deal to join £12trn Indo-Pacific trading block". Sky News. 16 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  61. ^ "British Embassy: UK-Japan Relations". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  62. ^ Britain and Japan: Biographical Portraits, Vol. VI, BRILL, 2003, Noboru Koyama p. 393 - 401
  63. ^ Hiromi T. Rogers, 2016, Anjin: The Life and Times of Samurai William Adams as Seen Through Japanese Eyes, Renaissance Books
  64. ^ Gary P Leupp, 2003, Interracial Intimacy in Japan: Western Men and Japanese Women, 1543 - 1900, pp. 56 - 57
  65. ^ Umeko Tsuda: a Pioneer in Higher Education for Women in Japan, Mari Kunieda, July–December 2020, Vol.7, No.2, p.37, Tiempo y Educación, Espacio, e-ISSN: 1698-7802, Tsuda University

Further reading

  • The History of Anglo-Japanese Relations, 1600–2000 (5 vol.) essays by scholars.
  • Akagi, Roy Hidemichi. Japan's Foreign Relations 1542–1936: A Short History (1979) online 560pp
  • Auslin, Michael R. Negotiating with Imperialism: The Unequal Treaties and the Culture of Japanese Diplomacy (Harvard UP, 2009).
  • Beasley, W.G. Great Britain and the Opening of Japan, 1834–1858 (1951) online
  • Beasley, W. G. Japan Encounters the Barbarian: Japanese Travelers in America and Europe (Yale UP, 1995).
  • Bennett, Neville. "White Discrimination against Japan: Britain, the Dominions and the United States, 1908–1928." New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies 3 (2001): 91–105. online
  • Best, Antony. "Race, monarchy, and the Anglo-Japanese alliance, 1902–1922." Social Science Japan Journal 9.2 (2006): 171–186.
  • Best, Antony. British intelligence and the Japanese challenge in Asia, 1914–1941 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2002).
  • Best, Antony. Britain, Japan and Pearl Harbour: Avoiding War in East Asia, 1936–1941 (1995) excerpt and text search
  • Buckley, R. Occupation Diplomacy: Britain, the United States and Japan 1945–1952 (1982)
  • Checkland, Olive. Britain's Encounter with Meiji Japan, 1868–1912 (1989).
  • Checkland, Olive. Japan and Britain after 1859: Creating Cultural Bridges (2004) excerpt and text search; online
  • Britain & Japan: Biographical Portraits edited by Hugh Cortazzi Global Oriental 2004, 8 vol (1996 to 2013)
  • British Envoys in Japan 1859–1972, edited and compiled by Hugh Cortazzi, Global Oriental 2004,
  • Cortazzi, Hugh, ed. Kipling's Japan: Collected Writings (1988).
  • Denney, John. Respect and Consideration: Britain in Japan 1853 – 1868 and beyond. Radiance Press (2011).
  • Dobson, Hugo and Hook, Glenn D. Japan and Britain in the Contemporary World (Sheffield Centre for Japanese Studies/Routledge Series) (2012) excerpt and text search; online
  • Fox, Grace. Britain and Japan, 1858–1883 (Oxford UP, 1969).
  • Harcreaves, J. D. "The Anglo-Japanese Alliance." History Today (1952) 2#4 pp 252–258 online
  • Heere, Cees. Empire Ascendant: The British World, Race, and the Rise of Japan, 1894-1914 (Oxford UP, 2020).
  • Kowner, Rotem. "'Lighter than Yellow, but not Enough': Western Discourse on the Japanese 'Race', 1854–1904." Historical Journal 43.1 (2000): 103–131. online
  • Langer, William. The Diplomacy of Imperialism 1890–1902 (2nd ed. 1950), pp. pp 745–86, on treaty of 1902
  • Lowe, Peter. Britain in the Far East: A Survey from 1819 to the Present (1981).
  • Lowe, Peter. Great Britain and Japan 1911–15: A Study of British Far Eastern Policy (Springer, 1969).
  • McOmie, William. The Opening of Japan, 1853–1855: A Comparative Study of the American, British, Dutch and Russian Naval Expeditions to Compel the Tokugawa Shogunate to Conclude Treaties and Open Ports to their Ships (Folkestone, Kent: Global Oriental, 2006).
  • McKay, Alexander. Scottish Samurai: Thomas Blake Glover, 1838–1911 (Canongate Books, 2012).
  • Marder, Arthur J. Old Friends, New Enemies: The Royal Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy, vol. 1: Strategic illusions, 1936–1941(1981); Old Friends, New Enemies: The Royal Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy, vol. 2: The Pacific War, 1942–1945 (1990)
  • Morley, James William, ed. Japan's foreign policy, 1868–1941: a research guide (Columbia UP, 1974), toward Britain, pp 184–235
  • Nish, Ian Hill. China, Japan and 19th Century Britain (Irish University Press, 1977).
  • Nish, Ian. The Anglo-Japanese Alliance: The Diplomacy of Two Island Empires 1984–1907 (A&C Black, 2013).
  • Nish, Ian. Alliance in Decline: A Study of Anglo-Japanese Relations, 1908–23 (A&C Black, 2013).
  • Nish, Ian. "Britain and Japan: Long-Range Images, 1900–52." Diplomacy & Statecraft (2004) 15#1 pp 149–161.
  • Nish, I., ed. Anglo-Japanese Alienation, 1919–1952 (1982),
  • Nish, Ian Hill. Britain & Japan: Biographical Portraits (5 vol 1997–2004).
  • O'Brien, Phillips, ed. The Anglo-Japanese Alliance, 1902–1922 (Routledge, 2004), Essays by scholars.
  • Scholtz, Amelia. "The Giant in the Curio Shop: Unpacking the Cabinet in Kipling's Letters from Japan." Pacific Coast Philology 42.2 (2007): 199–216. online
  • Scholtz, Amelia Catherine. Dispatches from Japanglia: Anglo-Japanese Literary Imbrication, 1880–1920. (PhD Diss. Rice University, 2012). online
  • Sterry, Lorraine. Victorian Women Travellers in Meiji Japan (Brill, 2009).
  • Takeuchi, Tatsuji.
    War and diplomacy in the Japanese Empire (1935); a major scholarly history online free in pdf
  • Thorne, Christopher G. Allies of a kind: The United States, Britain, and the war against Japan, 1941–1945 (1978) excerpt and text search
  • Thorne, Christopher. "Viscount Cecil, the Government and the Far Eastern Crisis of 1931." Historical Journal 14, no. 4 (1971): 805–26. online.
  • Thorne, Christopher G. The Limits of Foreign Policy: The West, The League and the Far Eastern Crisis of 1931–1933 (1973) online free to borrow
  • Towle, Phillip and Nobuko Margaret Kosuge. Britain and Japan in the Twentieth Century: One Hundred Years of Trade and Prejudice (2007) excerpt and text search
  • Woodward, Llewellyn. British Foreign Policy in the Second World War (History of the Second World War) (1962) ch 8
  • Yokoi, Noriko. Japan's Postwar Economic Recovery and Anglo-Japanese Relations, 1948–1962 (Routledge, 2004).

External links