Alternate plan was to just burn them alive
Matthew C. Perry plays biggest part in ending Japans centuries of isolation from the rest of the world Japan spent over 200 years in government bans of contact with other countries during U.S. commodores expedition 1853 -Trade that forced Japan to open doors – Perry and shogunate officials
Of course, theres no doubt that you cant influence the reform of a government policy thats existed so long without earning the anger of some powerful people, and recently discovered historical documents show exactly how displeased one samurai lord was with Japan, and even his continued existence on the planet.
Researchers find 16 letters written by Tokugawa Noriaki, daimyo of Mito Province, Japans final shogun Noriakis letters in 1853-1855 were sent to retainer Fujita Toko, samurai scholar who called for renaming the emperor as Japanese ruling figure, and for expulsion of foreigners from the country
The letters discuss specific ways to kill U.S. envoys to Japan, with one section followed by the heading Burning the Foreigners to Death, and expanding on the topic with If we can get them into a mansion that weve already put up correctly, wed be able to finish them amazingly.
Another piece of paper: Make sure their senior officers drink a lot of meat in Edo Castle, then lop of their headsthen notify our men near Shinagawa and have them rid of all in their ships.
I felt so bare at the time I got wasted on sake on my Tokyo trip experience unaccustomed foreign visitors have ever told
Letters found in preserved home by salt merchant in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, among 10,000 history documents
While Noriaki was Japans last shogun father, he also never held the role and was a prominent pro-emperor figure. Though tasked for a time with counselling shogunate on coast defense topics, he was an open advocate for strengthening Japans military to fight foreign forces, he was also jailed for beefing up his personal domains military can against the wishes of the shogunate. So, his personal plotting may not necessarily have been compatible with the exact desires of Japans office government at the time
Source: Yomiuri Shimbun via Livedoor News via Jin, Britannica Insert image: Pakutso Follow us on Facebook, Twitter!