Why did opium never catch on in Japan?
//Summary - Level-C2//
The article explains why opium never became prevalent in Japan, unlike in China. Japan's government strictly controlled opium, learning from China's experience in the Opium Wars. Diplomatic efforts, including treaties with the US and other Western powers prohibiting opium imports, helped Japan avoid widespread addiction, contributing to its stability and strength in the international arena.
//SUMMARY//
The article discusses why opium did not become widespread in Japan, unlike in China and other parts of the world, and how Japan's approach to opium affected its history.
Opium's Global Impact: Opium caused significant humanitarian damage globally, particularly in China, where it contributed to the decline of the Qing Dynasty. The British exploited opium's addictive properties, leading to widespread addiction in China and a significant loss of silver, weakening the Qing government and eventually leading to the Opium Wars and China's defeat.
Japan's Opium Policy: Japan, unlike China, avoided the widespread use of opium. The Edo Shogunate and later the Meiji government banned the import and use of opium, primarily due to three reasons:
Limited Use in Japan: Opium was known in Japan for its medicinal properties but was not widely used as a narcotic. The drug was expensive and not in demand for recreational use, making it easy for the government to maintain a policy against it.
Learning from China's Experience: Japan was aware of the negative consequences of opium in China and was motivated to avoid similar issues. The Japanese government received reports from the Netherlands about the global situation, including the Opium Wars, which highlighted the dangers of opium addiction.
Diplomatic Measures: Japan strategically engaged with foreign powers to prevent opium from entering the country. Townsend Harris, an American diplomat, played a crucial role by advocating for a treaty between Japan and the US that included a clause prohibiting opium imports. The Treaty of Amity and Commerce set a precedent, and similar agreements were made with other Western powers.
US Influence: The United States had no significant interest in profiting from opium in Japan and used its influence to support Japan's anti-opium stance. The US aimed to establish Japan as a trade partner and a transit point in Asia without introducing opium into the Japanese market.
Strategic Treaties: Japan leveraged its relationship with the US to negotiate similar treaties with other Western powers, including Britain, which prevented opium importation. This diplomatic success helped Japan avoid the turmoil that opium caused in China.
Long-term Impact: Japan's proactive measures against opium contributed to its stability and growth, allowing it to emerge as a strong power capable of winning wars against China and Russia. The article suggests that Japan's approach to opium exemplifies how knowledge and strategic planning can lead to successful long-term outcomes.
Overall, Japan's experience with opium illustrates the importance of informed decision-making and learning from the experiences of other countries to avoid potential pitfalls.
1)
The narcotic opium caused significant humanitarian damage to the world.
It is an essential keyword in modern history.
For example, during the Qing dynasty in China, a neighbour of Japan, Opium imported from England spread during the Qing dynasty, and the number of people addicted to opium skyrocketed, resulting in a significant decline in the country's power.
In China, Opium was a factor, and within a few decades, the Qing was destroyed.
2)
In other words, opium was so vital that it ruined the dynasty.
In addition to the Qing, opium addicts in Europe and the US also increased and became a major social problem in modern times.
So, how was it in Japan?
To sum up, opium was not prevalent in Japan.
Therefore, opium did not cause the decline and destruction of the Japanese nation as it did in the Qing Dynasty.
3)
Instead, after Japan opened its doors to the world during the Edo period, it gradually strengthened, winning the Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War and growing enough to compete with the world's great powers.
Why did opium, which was popular in neighbouring countries, not spread in Japan?
In this article, we will use opium as a starting point to look at a turning point in Japan's history.
4)
First, let us review what opium is in the first place.
Opium is the dried juice from the fruit of the flowering poppy.
It contains ingredients such as morphine, which has pain relieving, anti-diarrheal and hemostatic effects.
However, if ingested more than the prescribed dosage, it can cause mental and physical paralysis and a fluttery state.
In severe cases, it is a hazardous drug that can cause difficulty breathing or even coma.
5)
There are even symptoms of addiction, and opiate addicts can suffer withdrawal symptoms, dizziness, and hallucinations.
However, despite their dangerous effects, narcotics are also very useful in medicine, as they have analgesic, anti-diarrheal and anti-diarrheal effects.
6)
Opium was produced in Egypt around 1500 BC and used as a painkiller and other medicines. It was later widely used as a medicine in Europe, India, Africa, China, and other countries.
For example, the medical book "Medical Forest Type Certificate Collection Summary," produced in China in 1482, records opium as an anti-diarrheal drug.
In this way, opium has been valued as a medicine since ancient times and has been used in medical settings around the world.
7)
A turning point came in the late 18th century.
During this period, opium, which had previously been limited to medicinal use, began to be produced as a commodity on a large scale and used as a narcotic.
The critical point was England at that time.
In the latter half of the 18th century, the British cultivated large quantities of the poppy in India as a colony. By producing large amounts of opium from the fruit, they began selling it on a large scale to countries worldwide.
8)
In particular, the British targeted China.
At that time, it was the Qing Dynasty.
To examine the relationship between Japan and Opium, it is essential to consider how China, along with Japan, was transformed by opium.
9)
Next, let us look at the relationship between the Qing and Opium.
Initially, China had a custom of "smoking opium in a pipe".
However, not that many people were addicted to the drug.
At that time, the British noticed that there was no small amount of opium smoking in China.
10)
So, they targeted China and sold opium in large quantities.
As I mentioned earlier, opium has a fluffing effect on the body and mind and is addictive.
It is the kind of drug that makes you go dark after smoking a little.
11)
The Chinese medical book "Compendium of Materia Medica" (1765) states the following:
After just one or two times of smoking opium, a person becomes unable to quit, and as a result, he becomes physically and morally disabled.
In the Qing dynasty, more and more people became addicted to opium, a powerful drug.
As time passed, these people began to crave even more opium.
As a result, the Qing Dynasty increased the amount of opium it imported from Britain each year.
In 1816, the number of boxes weighing about 60 kg each exceeded 5,000, and by the 1820s, the number had increased to more than 16,000.
As a result, more than 2 million opium addicts were created in the Qing.
As more and more of the population became addicted to opium in Opiumway, the number of people who could neither work nor live on it increased, and the Qing's productive capacity declined significantly.
13)
Of course, it takes money to buy opium.
Therefore, China's precious silver would flow rapidly to England.
As a result, the Qing dynasty declined day by day.
The Qing Dynasty saw this situation as a problem and decided to take action.
They enacted a law banning opium.
14)
The Qing Dynasty then adopted a strict policy of burning opium imported from England and expelling British merchants who sold opium.
This angered the British.
They were furious that we would suddenly stop doing business with them.
15)
The British had also long wanted to acquire the vast territory of China.
Therefore, using the Qing Dynasty's sudden change in opium policy as an excuse, they decided to attack the Qing Dynasty in one fell swoop.
This was the famous Opium War.
The Qing, weakened by opium, suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the British.
16)
A treaty was then concluded with several unfavourable terms for the Qing, including the payment of $21 million in reparations and the ceding of Hong Kong to the British.
Nevertheless, the opium influx continued to grow, increasing to more than 96,000 crates by 1880.
In the end, the Qing dynasty was weakened by the opium sales by the British and the effects of the opium, and the dynasty would fall in 1912.
17)
Thus, the Qing was hit hard by the spread of opium.
In other words, the Qing were utterly defeated by the British strategy of weakening them by selling opium and eventually attacking them with their army.
Japan is the neighbour of the Qing Dynasty.
Naturally, Japan, like the Qing, had a very high possibility that the British and other European countries would sell opium to the Qing and stir up trouble throughout the country.
18)
But that did not happen.
Why is that?
First, let me tell you the fundamental reason. It is because the Edo Shogunate and the Meiji government forbade the importation of opium and strictly controlled opium.
Why did Japan consistently take the position of not importing opium since the Edo Shogunate?
19)
There are three main reasons for this.
The first reason is that the use of opium as a narcotic was not very widespread in Japan to begin with.
Of course, the existence of opium itself has been known in Japan for a long time.
For example, during the Muromachi period (1333-1573), poppy seeds were said to have been brought from India to the Tsugaru region through trade with the southern barbarians.
Later, during the Edo period, it was cultivated in Yamanashi Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture, and near Osaka Prefecture.
20)
However, the amount of opium produced was minimal and very expensive.
The primary use of opium was for medical purposes such as anaesthesia, and opium as a narcotic was not widely used.
For example, the Expanded Huayi Trade, written by Nishikawa Joken (1648-1724) in 1708, and the Wakan Sansai Zue, written by Terashima Ryōan (1654-unknown) in 1713, contain articles about the use of opium as an anti-diarrheal drug.
21)
Looking at the literature of the time, there are no examples of opium being smoked or used as a narcotic until the end of the Edo period.
Although opium was cultivated and sold in Japan, it was only recognized as a medical use.
As I mentioned earlier, even before the British sold opium in large quantities, there was a practice of smoking opium in pipes in China.
22)
Unlike the Chinese, the use of opium as a narcotic was not widespread in Japan in the first place, and few people wanted opium as a drug.
Herein lies the big difference between having a foundation to accept opium and not.
Therefore, it was easy for the Japanese government to consistently adopt the policy that opium as a narcotic was unnecessary because there was no demand for it.
23)
The second reason is that Japan was very afraid of European countries and opium itself after learning the results of the Qing Opium War.
During the Edo period (1603-1867), Japan was closed off from the rest of the world but was in contact with the Netherlands.
At that time, the Edo Shogunate received a book from the Netherlands called "Holland Fuzetsu Sho" (Dutch Fact Book), which described the world situation. Through this book, the Shogunate kept abreast of the world situation.
24)
We have often referred to China in the past, but this is because China at that time was a significant country for Japan to learn from, having sent envoys to understand its culture and thought since ancient times.
The Japanese envoys to China, such as the Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty, are also well known.
25)
In other words, for Japan, China at that time was a mighty country that could not imagine losing to any other country.
The British defeated such a great power in the Opium War.
For Japan, this was a very shocking event.
26)
Therefore, when the Opium War broke out, Japan requested that the Dutch submit a "Separate report" with more detailed information about it in addition to the Dutch report.
At the time, Japan considered that an assertive China was easily defeated, which was a significant problem, and it profoundly analyzed the reasons for the defeat.
27)
Incidentally, the four "Separate reports" submitted by the Netherlands were compiled into a book called "Opium Memories," which can still be seen today.
A man from the end of the Edo period was also called "Sakuma Shozan."
He was an avid student of Qing ideology, Wei Yuan's "Records of Shengwu," which discusses the history of the Opium Wars, the reasons for their defeat, and the future of Chinese military affairs.
28)
They studied the reasons for China's defeat in-depth and pondered what Japan should do in the future.
Like Sakuma Shozan, the Opium Wars prompted many people to think deeply about Japan's future to avoid repeating China's mistakes.
In other words, Japan at the time learned from China's failure and, by using it as a negative example, was able to take measures against the idea that opium was dangerous and should not be allowed into Japan.
29)
The two reasons given so far concern only the situation on the Japanese side and do not relate to other countries.
Therefore, it is possible that the British or the Americans, who were powerful, would have come to Japan with warships and forced Japan to buy opium without any hesitation.
30)
In particular, the British were angry at what had happened when they suddenly stopped buying their opium and invaded China in the Opium War.
Therefore, there was a great possibility that they would ask Japan for such a forced deal as well.
The British sent a diplomat named "James Bruce" to Japan "in 1858, hoping to force Japan to buy opium as well.
31)
Even though there was no trend to use opium as a narcotic, Japan, at the end of the Edo period, was about to be introduced to opium by the British as well as China.
However, this pinch eventually disappeared when one country agreed not to bring opium into Japan.
This brings me to the third reason.
Who is this "certain country"?
32) "One country" is "the United States."
As I mentioned earlier, James Bruce was sent from England to Japan in 1858 to sell opium.
This was about two years before that, in 1856.
An American diplomat came from the United States to Shimoda, Japan.
His name was Townsend Harris, and Perry was another American who came to Japan simultaneously.
33)
He came to Uraga aboard the Black Ships in 1853 to press Japan to open its borders, but these two men were completely different.
Harris came to Japan a few years after Perry and concluded the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and Japan.
The Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the US and Japan established rules for trade between them.
34)
For example, it includes various rules to facilitate trade, such as increasing the number of ports for trade with the US, such as Yokohama and Nagasaki, and establishing settlements for Americans.
These rules also included several disadvantages for Japan, such as the inability to freely impose taxes on US goods and try Americans even if they committed crimes there.
35)
However, some of the terms of the treaty were good for Japan.
The treaty also contained a clause that prohibited the importation of opium.
In other words, the treaty prohibited the US from bringing opium into Japan.
What is surprising is that this was not just a request from the Japanese side but a recommendation from the American Harris.
36)
Harris explained to the Edo Shogunate the dangers of European countries and opium. He insisted that the US conclude a treaty with the incredible power of the US as soon as possible because the US would not bring opium into Japan.
There are several possible reasons behind Harris' assertion.
One Harris' the US wanted to trade more extensively with Asian countries than with Japan, and Japan was to be used only as a transit point for such trade.
37)
They wanted to conclude a trade agreement with Japan early and develop it as an Asian transit point.
To this end, they were willing to conclude favourable terms for the opium trade with Japan.
At that time, the US did not have the environment to produce opium in large quantities as cheaply as the UK did.
38)
For this reason, the US was not very interested in making a profit from selling opium to Japan in the first place.
Because of these unique American circumstances, Harris insisted to Japan that he would not allow opium into Japan and that it would be beneficial for Japan to open a port immediately since England and France would later also pressure Japan to open its borders.
39)
Thus, Harris pointed out the possibility that England and France would invade Japan and sell opium.
The Edo Shogunate decided to believe Harris' assertion.
With this decision, the Shogunate concluded the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between Japan and the US, and trade with the US began.
40)
There is a critical point in Harris's statement.
It is that Harris emphasizes the danger of opium.
Harris suggested that a treaty prohibiting the opium trade should be established to prevent Japan from being invaded by European countries.
That was the opium import ban I mentioned earlier.
A few months after the treaty was signed, an event as significant for Japan as the arrival of Perry and Harris occurred.
The arrival of Harris was as big an event for Japan as the arrival of Perry was for Japan.
These were Holland, Russia, France, and that country, Great Britain.
41)
What did Japan do at this time?
Japan decided on a guideline based on what Harris said.
It concluded treaties with each country similar to the U.S.-Japan Amity and Commerce Treaty.
This is because the treaty included a section prohibiting the importation of opium.
Therefore, Japan could conclude agreements with England and other countries with similar contents.
42)
The point is, since we also signed a provision with the US banning opium imports, if we gave special treatment only to your country, the US would be offended.
Is that OK with you? The negotiations were conducted to make it clear that the United Kingdom would not be allowed to import opium.
As I mentioned earlier, the British wanted Japan to buy opium as well, so they sent James Ruse to Japan.
43)
However, even Britain had to give up selling opium to Japan to avoid a conflict with the United States.
Considering that China was in turmoil over opium, it was a very significant event in Japan's history to conclude treaties with all the powerful nations with the content of banning the import of opium at that time.
44)
As I told you, the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the US and Japan contained many contents that were disadvantageous to Japan.
At first glance, one wonders why such a foolish decision was made.
However, if we consider the opium threat from the perspective of preventing it, we can understand the Edo Shogunate's decision at that time.
45)
It was because they had purchased the world situation in advance and studied the merits and demerits of opium that they were able to make a rational decision in the long run.
Because of this decision, opium did not spread in Japan.
By acquiring knowledge and using it as wisdom, the history of Japan was changed.
Looking back on this process, the same can be said for us as individuals.
46)
Turning points, moments of decision, come several times in our lives; if we have the proper knowledge, we can derive the optimal answer in the long run, even if the decision seems irrational at first glance.
From a broader perspective, you will not be caught up in immediate gains or losses but will learn widely and find the correct answer in your own way.
Learning is all about that, and it will also help you refine your sense of values.
Why did opium never catch on in Japan?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfQYa-llR50
Add info No1)
6)
Medical Forest Certificate Collection, a medical book written in China in 1482
https://square.umin.ac.jp/mayanagi/paper03/ryukoku/irinshuyou.html
11)
Chinese medical book, "Compendium of Materia Medica", written in 1765
Compendium of Materia Medica - Ben cao gang mu shi yi
https://www.loc.gov/item/2012402163/
20)
"Expanded Huayi Trade" written by Nishikawa Joken (1648-1724) in 1708
Review
https://www.klnet.pref.kanagawa.jp/uploads/2020/12/02_1.pdf
"Wakan Sansai Zue" written by Terashima Ryoan (1654-unknown) in 1713
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakan_Sansai_Zue
23)
The Edo Shogunate received a book from the Netherlands called "Dutch Fusetsusho(Reports)" that described the world situation.
Dutch Report
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AA%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%83%80%E9%A2%A8%E8%AA%AC%E6%9B%B8
27)
The four "separate rumours" submitted by the Netherlands are from a book called "Opium Memories."
Opium Memories
https://www.archives.go.jp/exhibition/digital/bakumatsu/contents/07.html
Sakuma Shozan also enthusiastically studied Wei Yuan's "Records of Shengwu" and other works.
Sakuma Shozan https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%90%E4%B9%85%E9%96%93%E8%B1%A1%E5%B1%B1
Wei Yuan
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%AD%8F%E6%BA%90
Add info No2)
The actual state of cannabis abusers in Japan (March 2024)
https://www.dapc.or.jp/kiso/31_ishikistats2022.html
https://www.ncasa-japan.jp/understand/drug/japanese
- The number of lifetime users nationwide is estimated to be about 1.28 million, and the number of past-year users is estimated to be about 130,000. (Japanese population 121.56 million people. Lifetime rate of drug abuse: 0.6%)
- The percentage of people who answered "I can get it" about the availability of cannabis has decreased both by gender and total (3.1%)
- The percentage of people who have a favourable view of cannabis use increased from 2015 to 2017 but has remained stable since then. (2.4%)
Add info No3)
Osaka's "IR" was finally approved! Will it boost the Kansai economy? Are there concerns about gambling addiction? Casino research experts honestly explain their hopes and fears.
https://www.ktv.jp/news/feature/230414-osakair/
What is the plan for Osaka's IR? It is an integrated resort to be built in Osaka, including a shopping mall, hotel, casino, etc. The construction cost is about 780 billion yen. It is scheduled to open in the fall or winter of 2029.
One concern that should be discussed is the problem of gambling addiction. Japan has strict regulations on casinos. While many overseas casinos have free admission, in Osaka, it only costs 6,000 yen for Japanese people. There is also a limit on the number of times, up to three times per week and up to 10 times in four weeks. Admission restrictions can also be restricted at the request of family members. This is a measure against gambling addiction.
Add info No4)
"Harris and Perry"
https://www.kasumigasekikai.or.jp/16-05-18/
A history textbook for junior high and high school students says that Perry opened Japan, and Harris concluded the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. In The Story of America, also published in Japanese, two pages are devoted to Perry's achievements as the man who brought isolated Japan into the international community. Harris is only described in two lines as a consul who overcame the many remaining obstacles.
It was undoubtedly Perry who woke Japan from its slumber of peace. However, it is unfair to attribute the achievement and honour of "opening up" Japan to him alone. If we compare it to a well, Perry found the location of the water vein, planted the flag, and Harris dug the rock to bring out the water. When Harris arrived in Japan, he wrote in his diary that he hoped to be "honourably recorded" in Japanese history. Everyone wants future generations to evaluate them fairly. However, history often plays favourites.
Before starting negotiations with the Japanese side, Harris gave an impassioned speech that lasted two hours. He stated that steamships had made trade flourishing, that Western nations wanted to trade freely with all countries in the world, and that countries such as Britain and France were willing to go to war to remove any obstacles to this, and that it would be wise for Japan to first establish a precedent by concluding a trade treaty with the United States, which was peaceful and had no territorial ambitions.
In response, Senior Councilor Hotta Bitchu-no-kami said that Japan's situation differed from that of the United States, and essential issues required consultation with many people, meaning that decisions took time. It has long been the case that decision-making was time-consuming.
Add info No5)
Townsend Harris - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Townsend_Harris
Evaluation of the Japanese:
The steam engine has completely changed the world. Japan will have to abandon its policy of isolation. If only the Japanese people were allowed to exercise their ingenuity and industry, Japan would soon become a great and mighty nation.
— Townsend Harris, from his 1856 Japan Travel Journal
The significance and recommendation of starting international trade between Japan and the United States:
At a meeting with Shogunate elder statesman Hotta Masamune on October 26, 1857 (Ansei 4), Harris spoke about the significance of starting international trade between Japan and the United States.
First, he explained that the inventions of the steamship and the telegraph drove the extraordinary evolution of the Western world over the past 50 years.
Second, these inventions have shortened the distances connecting the world in time, resulting in active trade and making Western countries wealthy. He recommended that Japan establish trade relations with the United States and other countries.
Furthermore, Harris explained that a response would be possible in about an hour if an undersea cable were connected between Edo and Washington.
Attempts had already been made to lay a cable between Europe and the United States across the Atlantic in the 1830s. It later reached Shanghai in 1865, and the Japanese mission to Europe benefited from this. The Edo Shogunate also considered connecting Edo and Yokohama with a telegraph in 1867 and 1868 (Keio 3 and 4) but gave up due to the Meiji Restoration.
Then, in 1871 (Meiji 4), an undersea cable was laid between Shanghai and Nagasaki, and Japan finally joined the global communications network. However, Harris had already anticipated Japan's future trade negotiations and had advised the country.
