Edo, Treaty of

1858 agreement between Japan and the USA, granting trade and diplomatic privileges to the latter. Similar treaties were signed that year with the UK, Russia, the Netherlands, and France. Because the conditions were unfavourable to Japan, the 1858 agreements are counted among the unequal treaties. They were revised in the 1890s.

Under these treaties, foreign nationals in Japan were not subject to Japanese jurisdiction: if they committed offences they could be tried only by the consular courts of the treaty powers. Treaty ports were opened (Nagasaki, Yokohama, and Hakodate from 1859, Niigata from 1860, and Kōe from 1863). The treaties also restricted Japan's power to fix tariff rates. These provisions were resented by the Japanese and there were attempts to revise them in the late 19th century. The extraterritorial jurisdiction provisions were dropped 1899 and the tariff restrictions 1911.