Chapter One, some foreign ships arrived, dark and ominous

Among this group, particularly noteworthy figures are Katsu Kaishū and Enomoto Takeaki. Katsu Kaishū later served as the naval commissioner of the shogunate, overseeing the shogunate's navy. He established the Kobe Naval Training Center in the small fishing village of Kobe at that time, training naval officers and shipbuilding technicians. Interestingly, despite being a high-ranking official in the shogunate, Katsu Kaishū had no confidence in the future of the shogunate, surrounded almost entirely by anti-shogunate individuals. The 'master' of the Kobe Naval Training Center was Sakamoto Ryōma, and among those trained there were Mutsu Munemitsu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs during the First Sino-Japanese War, and the first commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, Itō Yūhō. Interestingly, despite being a high-ranking official in the shogunate, Katsu Kaishū had no confidence in the future of the shogunate, surrounded almost entirely by anti-shogunate individuals. The 'master' of the Kobe Naval Training Center was Sakamoto Ryōma, and among those trained there were Mutsu Munemitsu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs during the First Sino-Japanese War, and the first commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, Itō Yūhō.

However, as the saying goes, "Man proposes, but Heaven disposes." The army, which was merely prepared to deal with domestic rebellions, unexpectedly encountered an internal conflict that allowed them to showcase their capabilities. In 1877, a major civil war known as the "Southwest War" broke out, during which Saigo Takamori, who had been ousted due to internal strife, led an army of 40,000 to rebel starting from Kyushu

However, with the unification of the realm, the shogunate adopted a policy of disarmament. Not only did it limit the number of firearms, but it also prohibited research and improvements on them. A strict class system of farmers, artisans, and merchants was implemented domestically, along with the promulgation of various laws and decrees to eliminate factors that could lead to armed conflict, thereby maintaining over two hundred years of peace, with neither external wars nor internal strife.

It is not enough to have people; there must also be ships. Two years ago, a wooden steam warship named Soembing, with a displacement of 400 tons and 150 horsepower, arrived from the Netherlands. It was lent to the shogunate for training students. Later, King William III of the Netherlands decided to be generous and gifted it to the shogunate. The shogunate renamed it "Kankō Maru," with the name derived from the "Guanguo Zhi Guang" in the Book of Changes, which does not carry the modern meaning of sightseeing. This was Japan's first steam warship. Subsequently, the Japanese ordered the "Xianlin Maru" and "Chaoyang Maru" from the Netherlands as training vessels for the academy.

This does not mean that the Japanese have never attempted to cross the ocean in search of broader lands. A commonly cited example by Japanese historians is the Wokou pirates. However, the Wokou were neither a navy nor a maritime force; they merely viewed ships as a means of transporting troops, with most battles actually taking place on land. Therefore, the Wokou cannot be used as evidence that the Japanese people are a maritime nation. On the other hand, the Japanese's clumsiness at sea can be cited as proof that they are not a maritime people, exemplified by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea. This invasion, after the Japanese navy was defeated by the Korean naval commander Yi Sun-sin, seemed to lead the Japanese to abandon their obsession with the ocean.

Qingxi could not sustain his retainers with just this little rice, which led to the outbreak of this war. After the bloodless opening of Edo, Enomoto Takeaki still led the shogunate navy out of Edo, heading towards "Ezo," which is Hokkaido, with the aim of garrisoning troops for self-sufficiency. However, after the defeat in the Battle of Hakodate, he finally surrendered to the Meiji government under the persuasion of Kuroda Kiyotaka

The flag on the back is the proud honor flag of the United States Navy, typically kept at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. This American flag symbolizes the United States' aspirations in the Pacific and marks the beginning of its attempts to control the region. By displaying this flag, Americans are announcing to the Japanese, no, to the entire world, a fact: after nearly a century of effort, Americans have finally transformed the Pacific into "Lake America." To recount the history of the Japanese Navy, one must also trace back to that era. By displaying this flag, Americans are announcing to the Japanese, no, to the entire world, a fact: after nearly a century of effort, Americans have finally transformed the Pacific into "Lake America." To recount the history of the Japanese Navy, one must also trace back to that era.

Japan, with its sparse population and abundant land, has a penchant for land reclamation to create artificial islands. Do not assume that this is merely a modern extravagance of the Japanese, as this hobby dates back to earlier times. In order to engage in trade with the Dutch, the shogunate specifically constructed an artificial island in Nagasaki, covering approximately 1.3 hectares, known as "Dejima," to isolate them. The shogunate, having taken the Dutch's teachings to heart, subsequently established the "Nagasaki Naval Training Institute" right next to Dejima. The shogunate dispatched 70 individuals, while various domains contributed an additional 130, totaling 200 students, which occurred in 1855. The instructors were Dutch naval officers, and classes were conducted in Dutch, with a translator present. The curriculum primarily focused on navigation, shipbuilding, artillery operation, ship equipment, surveying (including astronomy), mathematics, and mechanics, with students required to study for eight hours each day.

The "Dong" ironclad is also an intriguing warship with a very complex history. Initially, it was built by the French for the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War, named the "StoneWall." However, due to the French desire to maintain neutrality during the American Civil War, they refused to deliver it and sought to sell it to the Danes. When negotiations failed, it was sold to the Confederates. Yet, after the Confederates were defeated, Captain Page took the ship to Havana, Cuba, and privately sold it to the Cuban governor for $16,000. Later, the Americans redeemed the ship and sold it to the Japanese shogunate for $40,000. As the ship was still navigating the Pacific, Japan went to war. When the "StoneWall," flying the Stars and Stripes, entered Yokohama harbor, both the shogunate and the Meiji government engaged in a bidding war, each trying to raise the price to claim it as their own. However, the American consulate had received instructions from home to remain neutral, refusing to sell to either side, effectively waiting to see which side would emerge victorious. Ultimately, in February 1869, it was handed over to the Meiji government and renamed "Dong." The failure of the shogunate navy, led by Enomoto Takeaki, can largely be attributed to the Meiji government's acquisition of this ironclad.

General Kazuki on this side was unsure whether it was due to illness or fright. On July 27, ten days after Perry's departure, he went to the deity Amaterasu, leaving this difficult problem to the fourth son, Tokugawa Iesada, who succeeded as the 13th shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate

The isolationist policy of the Japanese shogunate was truly extreme; it not only prohibited Spaniards and Portuguese from entering, but also expelled all mixed-race individuals to Macau. Even Japanese citizens who had lived abroad for more than five years were not allowed to return. At that time, apart from China, Okinawa, and Korea, the only Christian nation permitted to engage in trade activities was the Netherlands, which was allowed to trade with Japan only after agreeing not to engage in missionary activities.

What are they here for? Firstly, it is to identify a direct Pacific route to the Chinese mainland, and secondly, to seek a supply base for the American whaling fleet that is indiscriminately hunting whales throughout the Pacific

Perry's early arrival was like a bolt from the blue, leaving the shogunate in a state of disarray. Last time, Perry brought four warships; this time, he brought nine, and the number of cannons was even greater

This fleet set sail in November 1852 from Norfolk, Virginia, crossed the Indian Ocean, rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and passed through Mauritius, Ceylon, Singapore, Macau, and Hong Kong, arriving in Shanghai on May 4.

In 1872, the Meiji government abolished the Ministry of War and replaced it with separate ministries for the Navy and Army. The first Minister of the Navy (renamed from Navy Secretary in 1885) was Katsu Kaishū. At that time, Katsu Kaishū had 14 warships and three transport vessels, with a total tonnage of 13,832 tons. He proposed a plan to establish a standing fleet of 108 warships within 18 years, but at that time, this plan seemed like a castle in the air—where would the money come from? In the early Meiji period, the total annual budget of the Ministry of War was 9 million yen, of which 8.5 million was allocated to the Army, leaving only 500,000 for the Navy. Thus, the phrase "a powerful navy" was merely a pleasant slogan.

In 1792, Lieutenant Adam Kirillovich (Erikovich) Laxman of the Tsarist Russian army discovered several Japanese individuals who had drifted to Siberia from Japan in Irkutsk, in the Russian Far East. After receiving the support of Empress Catherine II, he traveled to the Hakodate area of the Nemuro Province, which is now Hakodate City in Hokkaido, under the pretext of repatriating these Japanese individuals. Upon learning that Laxman not only sought to return the individuals but also proposed trade relations, the shogunate devised ways to complicate matters, insisting that any trade must occur in Nagasaki. Consequently, Laxman had no choice but to return to Okhotsk in anger.

Xiao Erzi is Xiao Erzi; it is merely a matter of position before the Emperor. The notion of having a "powerful navy" is theoretically unopposed. A navy must indeed have warships, and these warships require personnel to operate them. These operators must be organized, which ultimately boils down to the three issues of warships, officers, and organization

Perry presented to the Japanese the letter from the 13th President of the United States, Millard Fillmore, which requested Japan to open its borders. The shogunate was unable to respond at that moment and could only use the excuse that the shogun was gravely ill to defer the matter. Perry, however, did not push for a complete resolution, leaving Japan with two white flags, saying that they could consider it for now, and that he would return the following year. With that, he and his men returned to Hong Kong

On May 17, after departing from Shanghai and making a brief stop in the Ryukyu Kingdom, we arrived in Edo via the Ogasawara Islands

The other side features a flag composed of thirteen stripes and thirty-one stars, which was displayed on the flagship "Sasquihanna" when U.S. Navy Captain Perry led his fleet to open the closed doors of Japan in 1853 with cannon fire.

Why was Ito Hirobumi so confident in going to war with the Qing Dynasty? What had Japan accomplished in naval construction during these twenty years?

After the seventeenth century, the shogunate that ruled Japan implemented a "lockdown" policy. From 1633 to 1639, five "lockdown edicts" were issued, culminating in the establishment of the lockdown system by 1641. Under this system, the various domains were prohibited from constructing large ships, specifically those with a capacity exceeding 500 koku (approximately 135 cubic meters), as well as those with a vertical keel, and double-masted ships were also forbidden. Foreign trade was restricted to designated locations, conducted only by specified domains and with certain countries. The only countries permitted to engage in trade were China, the Netherlands, Korea, and Ryukyu.

What should be done after opening the country? What is the outside world like? The Japanese had no idea. In 1862, after Japan opened its doors, a Japanese man named Takasugi Shinsaku came to China as an attendant to a shogunate envoy. In Shanghai, he witnessed firsthand how the Chinese were enslaved by Westerners. Upon returning home, he wrote "Records of Travels in Qing" to warn the Japanese not to become the second China.

At this moment, the signing ceremony for the unconditional surrender of the "Empire of Japan Government" and the "Imperial Japanese Army and Navy" to the Allied Powers is taking place on this warship

However, at that time, they were indeed striving for Japan. As mentioned earlier, when Oguri Tadamasa served as the naval commissioner, he introduced French technology and established the Chōsū Naval Arsenal. At that time, someone said to him, "The shogunate will not last long; why build an arsenal for the court?" Oguri's response was, "Whether it is the shogunate or the court, they are all Japanese. This arsenal, regardless of who ultimately controls it, serves Japan. It is strange to calculate so much over it."

The Meiji government did not hold a grudge against Katsu Kaishū, nor did it seek to settle old scores with the enemies of the past, such as the investigation of war crimes. Instead, it actively allowed their talents to be utilized alongside the confiscated ships of the shogunate navy and various domain navies, and they began to initiate the modernization of the Meiji navy.

In 1868, during the Boshin War when the Meiji government sought to suppress the shogunate, Katsu Kaishū began serving as the Chief of Staff for the shogunate's army and later assumed the role of Military Commander, becoming the overall military leader of the shogunate. However, Katsu Kaishū resolutely opposed the army's adherence to Ōkubo Toshimichi's stance, persuading Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu to agree to negotiations with the Meiji government's representative, Saigō Takamori, thereby achieving the bloodless surrender of Edo and preventing the suffering of 1.5 million citizens in urban warfare. Nevertheless, Katsu Kaishū continued to resist the army's support for Ōkubo Toshimichi's position, successfully convincing Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu to engage in talks with the Meiji government's representative, Saigō Takamori, resulting in the bloodless surrender of Edo and averting the devastation of 1.5 million citizens in street battles.

In July 1853, four dark ships appeared on the waters of what was then called Edo Bay, now known as Tokyo Bay. These were four warships of the United States East India Squadron, led by Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry. At the forefront were two steamships, the flagship USS Susquehanna, with a displacement of 3,800 tons, and the USS Mississippi, with a displacement of 3,200 tons. The other two vessels were sailing ships, the USS Plymouth and the USS Saratoga. These ships were unlike any that the Japanese had previously seen, including those from the Netherlands, Portugal, or even England. They were entirely coated in tar, giving them a black appearance, which led the Japanese to simply refer to them as "black ships." The four black ships set up over 100 cannons, including 150-pound Parrott rifles and 12-inch Dahlgren guns, aimed at Edo, and lowered their small boats to begin surveying the navigational routes.

The formal establishment of the Meiji Navy, which later referred to itself as the "Imperial Japanese Navy," is generally considered to have occurred on January 17, 1868 (the first year of the Meiji era). On this day, the Army and Navy Affairs Bureau was established, adopting a tripartite system of leadership (President, Councilor, and Participant), with Prince Arisugawa no Miya as the President

Japan is an island nation surrounded by the sea on all sides. Therefore, it is natural for some to consider the Japanese people as a maritime nation, and the Japanese themselves often take pride in this notion. However, it is more appropriate to describe the Japanese people as a "coastal nation" rather than a "maritime nation." Since ancient times, they have indeed relied on the sea for their livelihood, but this was primarily due to the fact that the Japanese archipelago is encircled by the ocean, and fishing was essential for obtaining the protein necessary for survival. Beyond this, the Japanese do not seem to have had a significant interest in navigation. Japan has no Columbus, no Magellan, and certainly no Zheng He, the latter being associated with China, which is often regarded as a typical land-based nation.

However, 20 years later, this slogan surprisingly became a reality. In 1894, during the Donghak Peasant Revolution in Korea, Ito Hirobumi summoned the Minister to China and Korea, Otori Keisuke, and with a smile, the first words he said that made Otori feel faint were: "Otori-kun, your task is to create a pretext for war with Qing in Korea."

How to avoid becoming a second China is quite simple—prevent Westerners from coming in, and be able to defend oneself, which means to "expel the barbarians." Japan is an island nation; if foreign powers wish to invade Japan, they will certainly come by warships from the sea. The shogunate initially thought it was simple—just get some cannons and build a few fortifications, and when Western warships arrive, they can simply drive them back.

After a month of chaotic discussions both within and outside the shogunate, it ultimately agreed to the founding demands of the United States. On March 31, 1855, Perry landed with 500 soldiers in Yokohama Village, now part of Yokohama City, in Musashi Province, and signed the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. This marked the end of over 200 years of isolationist policy that had persisted since the third shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, and opened Japan to the world.

It was said that if a suitable person did not arrive within three days, they would head north along Edo Bay and directly bring troops ashore to meet your general, Tokugawa Ienobu. The shogun, Tokugawa Ienobu, had no choice but to send Izu no Kami (equivalent to the current governor of Shizuoka Prefecture), Hōda Ujiyoshi, to meet Perry on July 14.

The last "Fleet Review" of the Imperial Japanese Navy took place on October 11, 1940, in Yokohama, featuring 99 warships with a total tonnage of 622,000 tons. Among the participating aircraft was the renowned Type 96 land attack aircraft, which gained fame for its bombing operations on the Chinese mainland. The event was indeed grand. However, it is unlikely that any of the participants could have imagined that within less than five years, this navy would be utterly destroyed, with nearly all of its vessels sunk to the depths of the Pacific Ocean. The event was indeed grand. However, it is unlikely that any of the participants could have imagined that within less than five years, this navy would be utterly destroyed, with nearly all of its vessels sunk to the depths of the Pacific Ocean.

In fact, the Dutch informed the Japanese in the first year that the Americans were coming, but the shogunate did not take it seriously, thinking that they could handle it as they had with the Russians and the British in the past. As a result, they only increased the troop presence in the Miura Peninsula by the Hikone domain. Now, seeing that people had indeed arrived, they sent someone to make contact, but several groups that went up were turned away because their ranks were too low. Perry even began to fire cannons at Edo Castle, though they were blank shots. Now, seeing that people had indeed arrived, they sent someone to make contact, but several groups that went up were turned away because their ranks were too low. Perry even began to fire cannons at Edo Castle, though they were blank shots

Who knows that this American Perry does not keep his word? When he left, he said he would return in a year, but only six months later, in January 1854, he came back. In fact, Perry had heard the news of Tokugawa Ienari's death in Hong Kong and hurried over, hoping to take advantage of the political chaos in Japan to exert pressure on the shogunate.

The background of the national isolation policy is quite complex. One of its objectives was to prevent the significant outflow of gold and silver from Japan due to a severe trade deficit in foreign trade. Additionally, there was a vigilance against the missionary activities of European Christian civilization following the Age of Exploration. An important cause of the most severe internal conflict in modern Japanese history, the "Shimabara Rebellion," which occurred in Nagasaki in 1637, was related to Christianity. The shogunate mobilized an army of over 120,000 men, suffering more than 10,000 casualties to suppress it. The shogunate regarded Christianity as the root cause of this internal strife, thus prohibiting the entry of Spanish and Portuguese ships that actively engaged in missionary work, thereby completing the national isolation system.

On September 2, 1945, an expansive fleet of Allied ships, primarily composed of American warships, as well as vessels from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, was anchored in Tokyo Bay, Japan

It was precisely because everyone held the belief of "for the sake of Japan" that Japan was able to avoid division during the Boshin War, a division that was quite likely. At that time, Britain supported the Meiji government by supplying weapons and ammunition, while France sided with the Tokugawa shogunate. However, both the shogunate and the Meiji government coincidentally refrained from requesting any assistance from foreign countries other than military supplies. They understood that this was a domestic matter and that outsiders must not be allowed to intervene. At that time, Britain supported the Meiji government by supplying weapons and ammunition, while France sided with the Tokugawa shogunate. However, both the shogunate and the Meiji government coincidentally refrained from requesting any assistance from foreign countries other than military supplies. They understood that this was a domestic matter and that outsiders must not be allowed to intervene

At that time, the initial Meiji Navy was indeed so pitiful and weak, and it seemed unlikely that it would achieve anything significant

However, the Dutch informed the Japanese that such an idea was unrealistic. Firstly, there is no way to construct a ring of fortifications along the Japanese archipelago, and even if it were built, it could not be maintained. Secondly, fortifications can only prevent naval fleets from attacking, but cannot eliminate them. The effective method to defend the land from maritime attacks is to establish a navy. This would allow for the realization of a mobile strike force at a low cost, capable of eliminating invading forces from the sea. At that time, the Dutch could not have imagined that the Japanese, who were sitting in front of them, attentively listening to their teachings, would decades later become a well-known 'invading force,' with the Dutch Kingdom, their enlightening teachers, among those who suffered greatly.

Japan, once the largest possessor of artillery, now finds itself at a loss on how to deal with firearms. Especially considering that the cannons used by Perry are not the same as those from two hundred years ago; they are all breech-loading guns. When a shot is fired, the wooden structures of Edo can do little more than extinguish the flames, as there is nothing else to be done.

The cause of this war was a dispute regarding the treatment of the last shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu. After Yoshinobu surrendered power during the "Restoration of Imperial Rule," the Meiji government only granted him a stipend of 700,000 koku.

The purpose of the Meiji Navy's establishment was to defend Japan from the threats posed by Western powers. Initially, the Meiji government did not place much emphasis on the army, prioritizing the navy while considering the army as secondary. Therefore, the military was referred to as the "Navy and Army" rather than the later term "Army and Navy." The rationale was that Japan, being an island nation, could only be invaded by enemies coming from the sea. A strong navy was essential to repel attacks from the sea, while the army at that time was primarily intended to prepare for domestic unrest.

Why did the shogunate confiscate his property? This was due to the shogunate's persistent suspicion of Katsu Kaishu's political views and beliefs. The navy that Katsu Kaishu aimed to establish was not merely the shogunate's navy or that of a specific domain; he constantly spoke of a "Japanese navy." During the late Edo and early Meiji periods, there was a strong sense of national unity among the Japanese. The experiences of their neighboring country, China, made them acutely aware of the horrors of becoming a colony or semi-colony. The Opium Wars and the Sino-Japanese War, which were direct confrontations with the great powers, further exposed them to the unreasonable and terrifying nature of these powers. Therefore, the construction of a strong military to defend Japan, rather than a specific regime, became their common ideal. Eventually, this "strong military" was indeed established, and Japan became a member of the great powers. This sense of national unity subsequently transformed into nationalism, which later led to aggression and plunder against other countries and peoples, a topic that will be discussed later.

Sometimes it is quite interesting to think about how people in Europe and America have almost elevated whaling to a political and moral issue of "crimes against humanity." But who was it that nearly drove whales to extinction in the first place

The Meiji government dispatched Lieutenant General Yamagata Aritomo with an army of 300,000 troops, expending over 40 million yen in military expenses, and it took seven months to suppress the uprising

In the imperial army, there was indeed Rear Admiral Kawamura Junichi assisting with military affairs, but throughout the entire Southwest War, the navy had little opportunity to demonstrate its strength aside from transporting troops and supplies a few times. The army suffered greatly, with all 60,000 casualties being from the army. These 60,000 corpses overturned the phrase "naval supremacy and army subordination," transforming it into "army supremacy and naval subordination." In December 1878, the Army Ministry's General Staff was separated from the Army Ministry and renamed the General Staff Headquarters, with the Chief of Staff being the Emperor's chief aide, while the navy became a subordinate entity. These 60,000 corpses overturned the phrase "naval supremacy and army subordination," transforming it into "army supremacy and naval subordination." In December 1878, the Army Ministry's General Staff was separated from the Army Ministry and renamed the General Staff Headquarters, with the Chief of Staff being the Emperor's chief aide, while the navy became a subordinate entity.

A reporter from the United Press International joyfully wrote in a report from the USS Missouri: "This is the second time Japan has surrendered to the United States after ninety years." One only needs to look up at the two unusual American flags flying simultaneously on the main mast of the USS Missouri to understand why it is referred to as the 'second time.' One flag is the American flag that flew over the White House on December 8, 1941, when the Japanese naval task force attacked the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. The other flag is the American flag that flew over the White House on December 8, 1941, when the Japanese naval task force attacked the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor.

The Nagasaki Naval Training Institute had a brief existence, closing in 1859. Due to the rising tide of "sonnō jōi" (revere the Emperor, expel the barbarians) within Japan, the Dutch, fearing that continued assistance to Japan would affect their relations with Britain and the United States, ceased sending instructors. Meanwhile, the shogunate also faced financial difficulties in maintaining the training institute. The method of cultivating naval talent was shifted to sending students to the Netherlands for study.

The Japanese were not entirely unfamiliar with cannons; in 1543, matchlock guns were introduced to Tanegashima from Portugal via China. This coincided with Japan's Warring States period, providing a practical application for such weaponry. By the end of the 16th century, Japan had become the world's largest producer and possessor of matchlock guns. In 1614, during the Battle of Osaka, the Edo Shogunate employed long guns (culverins) imported from England and cannons imported from the Netherlands to eliminate the Toyotomi clan.

To emphasize that the "Meiji Navy" is the "Navy of the Emperor," on March 26, 1868, the first "Fleet Review" was held at Tempozan in Osaka, where the sixteen-year-old Meiji Emperor reviewed six warships with a total tonnage of 2,450 tons, borrowed from several domains including Satsuma. Incidentally, there was also a French warship, Dupleix, with a tonnage of 1,800 tons, that came to join the occasion.

However, the nation cannot be locked away; the colonizers will not adhere to any "lockdown order." They possess powerful warships and cannons that can be used to knock on the door. In fact, foreign trade during the period of isolation was never completely severed. The feudal lords, suffering from financial difficulties, have consistently engaged in trade through smuggling, with smuggling ships reaching Southeast Asia.

The Japanese nation, like other nations, possesses a multifaceted and complex national character. However, unlike other nations that often simultaneously exhibit multiple aspects of their national identity, the Japanese tend to primarily express one aspect of their national characteristics during a particular historical period. This transformation is often astonishing; for instance, after initiating and losing a protracted war that drained resources and ultimately led to the alternation of power among three related countries—Japan, Korea, and China—Japan entered a period of peace lasting 200 years. This transformation is often astonishing; for instance, after initiating and losing a protracted war that drained resources and ultimately led to the alternation of power among three related countries—Japan, Korea, and China—Japan entered a period of peace lasting 200 years

After the conclusion of the Boshin War, the Meiji government, in addition to accepting seven warships from the Tokugawa shogunate, received an additional 11 warships from various domains. However, the Ministry of Military Affairs, which was responsible for these warships, could only shake their heads in dismay: aside from one ironclad named "Tō," all the others were outdated wooden warships. It seemed implausible to expect these vessels to engage in "expelling the barbarians".

This is the first time that Westerners have not succeeded. Where there is a first, there will be a second.

Although the Nagasaki Naval Training Institute existed for only a brief four years, its significance was immense. It not only trained the first generation of talents for the Japanese navy, from the initial Tokugawa shogunate navy to the later Meiji navy. Among these individuals were the first Navy Minister Katsu Kaishū, the second and fourth Navy Ministers Kawamura Zeniemon, Vice Admiral Enomoto Takeaki, the first head of the Naval Academy, and the twice Navy Minister Nakamuta Kuranosuke. A more profound significance of the Nagasaki Naval Training Institute was its role in fostering a modern national consciousness in Japan. The students of the institute came from the shogunate and various domains, sharing meals, living quarters, and training together. Many later studied in Europe, and this unique environment allowed them to transcend the boundaries of the shogunate and their respective domains, forming a concept of a modern Japanese nation. The subsequent overthrow of the shogunate, the success of the Meiji Restoration, Japan's avoidance of fragmentation, and the victory in the First Sino-Japanese War can all be attributed to the unified national concept nurtured by the Nagasaki Naval Training Institute.

Sheng Haizhou was not only a warrior and a politician, but also a rare investor at that time. He developed Kobe from a small fishing village into what was then Japan's largest port city. From the very beginning, Sheng Haizhou consistently advised those around him to purchase land in Kobe, and he himself bought a considerable amount. Later, the land prices indeed soared as Sheng Haizhou had predicted. Those who heeded his advice and invested in land in Kobe became wealthy; however, Sheng Haizhou himself did not profit—his assets were confiscated by the shogunate.

The center of attention for the entire world is the battleship USS Missouri (BB-63), anchored ten nautical miles off the coast of Yokosuka, positioned equidistantly from Yokohama, Kisarazu, and Yokosuka. With a full displacement of 53,000 tons, the USS Missouri has been in active service for only nine months, appearing almost brand new, as if it were specially commissioned for this ceremony.

Tokugawa Iesada was originally frail and sickly, and there are even legends suggesting that he was a person with cerebral palsy, unable to make decisions

Thus, there would be no navy.

The surrounding advisors were also at a loss, so they simply initiated a grand debate, unsure if there were any large posters put up. In any case, from the prominent figures to the samurai, and even ordinary citizens, everyone was allowed to express their opinions, with no consequences for the speakers. Suddenly, a democratic atmosphere emerged, with all sorts of ideas being proposed, yet none of them were practical. The shogunate was just getting by day by day, deciding to build a few fortifications first, as there was still more than half a year left.

Japan is composed of four major islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, along with thousands of smaller islands, surrounded by the sea. Therefore, it is only natural that the armed forces include a naval component. In the present day, at Mimizuku Port in Hyuga City, Miyazaki Prefecture, one can still see a monument inscribed with "The Birthplace of the Imperial Japanese Navy," written by Admiral Kōsaku Yamane, who once served as Minister of the Navy. This is due to the mythological legend in Japan that the first emperor, Emperor Jimmu, set sail from here to conquer Yamato. However, this is, of course, merely a myth, and no concrete evidence can be found.