Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation, 1894

Background. Prior to 1894, Japan was subject to unequal treaties that granted extraterritoriality to foreign citizens and restricted tariff control. The 1854 Anglo-Japanese Friendship Treaty offered no commercial advantages, while the 1858 Treaty of Amity and Commerce in Edo established extraterritoriality and fixed low tariffs, causing economic disruption and political outrage in Japan.

Negotiation and Stalemate. Foreign Minister Mutsu Munemitsu negotiated the treaty. A separate precedent existed in the 1888 Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation between Japan and Mexico, under which Foreign Minister Matías Romero renounced extraterritoriality. After reaching an agreement on all points on 13 July 1894, a stalemate occurred when Britain refused to sign until clarification was provided on the Korean question and the treatment of its officer.

Ratification and Implementation. The treaty was ratified by the Meiji emperor in August 1894, with ratifications exchanged in Tokyo on 25 August 1894. Although signed in 1894, the treaty came into force on 17 July 1899, five years later as stipulated in Article XXI, ending extraterritoriality and subjecting British subjects to Japanese laws.