EDO JAPAN LETTER

Emperor Komei Letter - Sent by Commodore Perry and an Edo Japan Samurai

Letter of Emperor Komei, Emperor of Edo Japan, to the President of America , Millard Fillmore,
November 13, 1852

Dear President of America, I send you this public letter by one of your navy people
Commodore Matthew C. Perry, a United States officer, alone with one of my best trained armed
Samurai in Edo Japan.

I sent my Samurai with your navy person to make sure what your saying is true, after words my
Samurai was ordered to come straight back to Edo, Japan, if my Samurai hasn’t returned in the
next nine days, the rest of my armed Samurais will come to America and destroy your life, that’s
a warning . Our government has taken a lot of thought into this. Edo Japan is an isolated place
and it was planned to be isolated until this island sinks to the bottom of the ocean. We’re a small
place but powerful, who ever’s boring here can never leave, farmers will always stay farmers and
outcasts will always stay outcasts and everyday in Japan is the same, we don’t allow to take or
make good ideas, we execute or send people to jail for tiny reasons or whenever he or she breaks
the rules. Edo Japan would get out of hand if we were to accept your proposal, Merchants and
Farmers wouldn’t be as afraid to make ideas of their own, whether there good or not and they
would try to get out of Edo making us look weak and powerless. They will be inspired by you
and if there’s enough of them they could somehow escape Japan and expose us to the world or
try to bring us down, anything could happen if there’s enough of them. Having someone on our
side that’s more powerful than us, would be a privilege but a big risk as well. That’s why we are
willing to compromise with you.

In order to have a relationship with Edo Japan there would be some ground rules. Wars and
fights can’t come between us, the only changes that’s gonna happen in Edo Japan is that we will
be allies and we are able to trade goods with one other at specific ports. Less than 15 of your
American people can come to Edo for a period of time. No ideas will be shared with Japanese’s
people and none of you people can join a class whether it’s the lowest class. The government
will be in charge of them your people whenever they get near our island, no weapons on this
island and only American people can enter into Edo Japan. The Edo classes life will not be
disturbed with our agreement, their lives will stay the same and senses America is a bit more
powerful than us we request protection from you and for you to help us stay isolated from the
rest of the world. We can’t provide much for you but our trust and goods.

This is the only way you can have peace with us because it seems to me that you want or need us
senses you sent us a written offer saying that you want peace between us and that we might have
some goods that have you may want or need. Unless you have a better way to do it, but for the
time being you either agree or don’t, I want my Samurai back with some news about our
agreement.

Sincerely Emperor Komei.