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Hotta Masayoshi was a ''daimyô'' of [[Sakura han]] ([[Shimousa province]]), and head of the ''[[roju|rôjû]]'', famous as the chief Japanese official involved in negotiating the [[1858]] [[Harris Treaty]] (US-Japan Treaty of Amity and Commerce), which opened four Japanese ports to foreign commerce, and granted a degree of [[extraterritoriality]] to foreigners in Japan. Known as Hotta Masahiro for most of his career, he changed his name to Masayoshi in [[1856]].<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 2 (1937), 252.</ref>

Hotta Masayoshi was a ''daimyô'' of [[Sakura han]] ([[Shimousa province]]), and head of the ''[[roju|rôjû]]'', famous as the chief Japanese official involved in negotiating the [[1858]] [[Harris Treaty]] (US-Japan Treaty of Amity and Commerce), which opened four Japanese ports to foreign commerce, and granted a degree of [[extraterritoriality]] to foreigners in Japan. Known as Hotta Masahiro for most of his career, he changed his name to Masayoshi in [[1856]].<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 2 (1937), 252.</ref>

Masahiro became lord of Sakura in [[1825]], and after stints as ''[[soshaban|sôshaban]]'' ([[1829]]-?), ''[[jisha bugyo|jisha bugyô]]'' (Magistrate of Temples & Shrines, [[1834]]-[[1837]]), and ''[[Osaka jodai|Ôsaka jôdai]]'' (castellan of [[Osaka castle]] on behalf of the shogunate, 1837-?),<ref>''[[Ryuei bunin|Ryûei bunin]]'' 柳営補任, vol. 1, 86.</ref> he was eventually named a ''[[roju|rôjû]]'', and then, in [[1855]], became head of the ''rôjû'' (''rôjû shuza''). Just prior to that, in [[1854]], he was promoted to ''[[Edo castle#Omote|tamari-tsume daimyô]]''.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 1 (1937), 593.</ref> Masayoshi was appointed ''gaikoku-jimu-toriatsukai'' (essentially, "foreign minister") in [[1856]], and in opposition to certain other prominent figures in the [[Tokugawa shogunate]], took a stance that Japan needed to engage more actively and openly in foreign intercourse in order to prosper. He thus negotiated the terms of a treaty with US Consul [[Townsend Harris]], resulting in the signing of the treaty on [[1858]]/6/19. Recognizing the momentous change this Treaty would bring, though, Hotta took the unprecedented step of traveling to [[Kyoto]], prior to the signing of the treaty, and formally requesting the [[Emperor|Emperor's]] approval; [[Emperor Komei|Emperor Kômei]] explicitly voiced his disapproval with signing such Treaties with the Western powers, and further expressed his disapproval for Masayoshi & [[Ii Naosuke|Ii Naosuke's]] choice for shogunal heir, [[Tokugawa Iemochi]], expressing his support instead for [[Tokugawa Nariaki|Tokugawa Nariaki's]] son [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]] to become the next shogun.

Masahiro became lord of Sakura in [[1825]], and after stints as ''[[soshaban|sôshaban]]'' ([[1829]]-?), ''[[jisha bugyo|jisha bugyô]]'' (Magistrate of Temples & Shrines, [[1834]]-[[1837]]), and ''[[Osaka jodai|Ôsaka jôdai]]'' (castellan of [[Osaka castle]] on behalf of the shogunate, 1837-?),<ref>''[[Ryuei bunin|Ryûei bunin]]'' 柳営補任, vol. 1, 86.</ref> he was eventually named a ''[[roju|rôjû]]'', and then, in [[1855]], became head of the ''rôjû'' (''rôjû shuza''). Just prior to that, in [[1854]], he was promoted to ''[[Edo castle#Omote|tamari-tsume daimyô]]''.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 1 (1937), 593.</ref> Masayoshi was appointed ''gaikoku-jimu-toriatsukai'' (essentially, "foreign minister") in [[1856]], and in opposition to certain other prominent figures in the [[Tokugawa shogunate]], took a stance that Japan needed to engage more actively and openly in foreign intercourse in order to prosper. He thus negotiated the terms of a treaty with US Consul [[Townsend Harris]], resulting in the signing of the treaty on [[1858]]/6/19. He was dismissed from his position as one of the ''Rôjû'' several days later, on 6/23.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 2 (1937), 594.</ref>

 

Nevertheless, recognizing the momentous change this Treaty would bring, Hotta took the unprecedented step of traveling to [[Kyoto]], prior to the signing of the treaty, and formally requesting the [[Emperor|Emperor's]] approval; [[Emperor Komei|Emperor Kômei]] explicitly voiced his disapproval with signing such Treaties with the Western powers, and further expressed his disapproval for Masayoshi & [[Ii Naosuke|Ii Naosuke's]] choice for shogunal heir, [[Tokugawa Iemochi]], expressing his support instead for [[Tokugawa Nariaki|Tokugawa Nariaki's]] son [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]] to become the next shogun.

Though the Treaty was signed, and Iemochi named Shogun, Masayoshi was removed from his position as part of the [[Ansei Purges]] in 1858-[[1859]], as a result of his role in this disastrous political misstep. He then returned to Sakura, where he died [[1864]]/3/21. He is buried alongside his predecessors at the [[Hotta clan]] cemetery at [[Jindai-ji]], in Sakura City.

Though the Treaty was signed, and Iemochi named Shogun, Masayoshi was removed from his position as part of the [[Ansei Purges]] in 1858-[[1859]], as a result of his role in this disastrous political misstep. He then returned to Sakura, where he died [[1864]]/3/21. He is buried alongside his predecessors at the [[Hotta clan]] cemetery at [[Jindai-ji]], in Sakura City.