1858 Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the Netherlands and Japan

Confronted with the advance of other Western powers in East Asia, the Dutch in vain tried to induce Japan to negotiate a treaty with them in 1844.

[4] However, they succeeded in signing a temporary agreement with the Japanese government on 9 November 1855, which was transformed into a formal treaty on 30 January 1856.[5].

[6][7] On 29 July 1858, after months of patient negotiations by Harris,[8][9] Japan and the United States signed a treaty of amity and commerce in Edo (current Tokyo).

[4] On 23 April 1858, Janus Henricus Donker Curtius, Dutch Commissioner at Nagasaki, arrived in Edo to perform a ceremonial visit to the Shogun, which took place on 8 May 1858.

During his stay in Edo, Curtius became aware of Harris' negotiations with the Shogunate for a treaty of amity and commerce.

[11] The most important articles of the Dutch-Japanese Treaty of 1858 are as follows:[13] The first Dutch Consul-General in Japan was Jan Karel de Wit.