Why Didn’t Opium Spread in Japan?

Why Didn’t Opium Spread in Japan?

In this video, we explore the reasons why opium, which was prevalent in China during the Qing Dynasty, did not spread in Japan. We discuss how Japan’s smaller market and lack of industries sought by the West made it less attractive for opium trade. Additionally, we examine the role of Commodore Perry, who warned the Bakufu representatives about the dangers of opium and advised including a clause prohibiting its import in the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the U.S. and Japan. This allowed Japan to ban opium imports when concluding treaties with Western countries, effectively preventing its spread, despite the commercial inequality of these treaties.

#OpiumTrade #JapanHistory #ChinaHistory #QingDynasty #Perry #UnequalTreaties #BakufuEra #TreatyOfAmityAndCommerce #HistoryOfDrugs #HistoryOfAsia #tokugawashogunate #edoperiod