Question

Identify three reasons why Japan closed its doors to the outside world.

Answer 1

Japan closed its doors to the outside world for several reasons, including protection against Western colonial influence, the threat of Christianity to the social and political order, and economic reasons like controlling the outflow of silver and gold.

Step-by-step explanation:

Reasons for Japan's Isolationist Policy

Japan's policy of sakoku, meaning "closed country," was implemented during the Tokugawa period, specifically between 1633 and 1853, and aimed to severely restrict interactions with foreign countries. There are several historical reasons for this isolationist policy:

1. To protect Japan’s cultural integrity and prevent the influence of Western colonization, Japan limited its interactions with foreign powers.
2. Christian influence was seen as a threat to the social order and political stability because it could potentially be used to undermine the ruling shogunate, leading to the prohibition of Christianity and the expulsion of missionaries.
3. Economic reasons also played a role, such as maintaining control over precious metal reserves by reducing the outflow of silver and gold through strictly controlled trade relationships with select foreign traders at Nagasaki.

While official policy restricted Japan to a few foreign contacts, unofficial and clandestine trade still occurred, primarily with Korea and the Ryukyu Islands. Japan managed to maintain this self-imposed isolation until the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry's fleet, which forced Japan to open its doors to international trade through diplomatic and military pressure.