US Marines visit Okinawa
The inability to negotiate with Okinawans led the whaling industry to lobby the US Government into action. President Fillmore sends Capt Mathew Perry to command a fleet of 15 naval warships. Mathew Perry was selected as the right man for the job. He was well read on Japanese culture. Their goal was to open up Japanese doors and establish diplomatic and financial relations with the rest of the world. This negotiation would take place with a show of force. By virtue of its strategic location, Perry opts to visit Okinawa after meeting with Tokugawa Shogonate representatives in Uraga Harbor, Japan, near Edo (Tokyo). While waiting on Japan to reply, he demonstrates a show of force in Okinawa. Okinawa was known to be an island with no army (low risk) but still have economic importance to mainland Japan.
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Perry�s first visit starts with him kicking out the first Okinawan port authority for lack of rank.
King Sho Tai, the last king of the Ryukyu Kingdom then visits with Commander Perry. Perry discusses a contract with Okinawa to build a depot to use as his base for
visiting steamships. King Sho Tai of course was limited in his powers by Japan, being forced to comply with Tokugawas authority. In the negotiations with mainland Japan, Commodore Matthew Perry chooses to display a show of force on Okinawa while waiting on a reply from Japan. He lands the marines twice in Okinawa and marches the group into the Shuri castle. In these negotiations he secures a coaling concession with the ruler of Naha. The site of Perry's modern weaponry warships in Japan soon became a threatening symbol of Western technology. Tokogawa's effect on culture led to two types of truths: Tatamae � perceived truth and Honne � the real truth. Tatamae can be likened to today's 'Political correctness' with harsher consequences such as torture or even death. Honne could only be expressed among very trusted family members. Perry and his military forces present themselve in parade formation to Ryukyu kingdom. What looks like a parade (tatamae) is in truth, a show of extreme force (honne). |
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