Perry Expedition

The Perry Expedition, led by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853-1854, was a U.S. naval mission to Japan aimed at opening trade and establishing diplomatic relations. At the time, Japan was isolated, refusing contact with the outside world. Perry’s powerful fleet arrived and used diplomacy and show of strength to persuade Japan to end its two-century isolation policy. The resulting Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854 marked the beginning of formal U.S.-Japan relations, opening ports for trade and diplomatic exchange, and significantly impacting Japan’s modernization and foreign policy.