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The Anglo-Japanese Convention of [[1854]] was an agreement signed by British Rear Admiral Sir [[James Stirling]] and ''[[Nagasaki bugyo|Nagasaki bugyô]]'' [[Mizuno Tadanori]], opening the ports of [[Nagasaki]] and [[Hakodate]] to British vessels, as well as granting [[most favored nation status]] and several other provisions.  

The Anglo-Japanese Convention of [[1854]] was an agreement signed by British Rear Admiral Sir [[James Stirling]] and ''[[Nagasaki bugyo|Nagasaki bugyô]]'' [[Mizuno Tadanori]], opening the ports of [[Nagasaki]] and [[Hakodate]] to British vessels, as well as granting [[most favored nation status]] and several other provisions.  

The convention came as the result of a series of miscommunications, and it was not in fact Stirling's aim, in traveling to Japan, to seek such a treaty. Britain and France had declared war on Russia earlier in the year, and were now actively opposing Russia in the Crimean War. Stirling, commander of the Royal Navy's China Squadron, was dispatched to the waters around Japan to seek out and attack Russian ships and fortifications, or to at least work to suppress their activities. He arrived at Nagasaki on 1854/int.7/15 (Sept 7) aboard the ''Winchester'' and three other ships, with two chief objectives: one, to find and attack the ships of [[Yevfimy Vasilyevich Putyatin]], and two, to determine Japan's position in terms of providing safe harbor, repairs, and supplies to ships of both these warring nations (Britain and Russia). He was not empowered to negotiate any true diplomatic agreements, let alone a formal treaty.

The convention came as the result of a series of miscommunications, and it was not in fact Stirling's aim, in traveling to Japan, to seek such a treaty. Britain and France had declared war on Russia earlier in the year, and were now actively opposing Russia in the Crimean War. Stirling, commander of the Royal Navy's China Squadron, was dispatched to the waters around Japan to seek out and attack Russian ships and fortifications, or to at least work to suppress their activities. He arrived at Nagasaki on 1854/int.7/15 (Sept 7) aboard the [[HMS Winchester|HMS ''Winchester'']] and three other ships, with two chief objectives: one, to find and attack the ships of [[Yevfimy Vasilyevich Putyatin]], and two, to determine Japan's position in terms of providing safe harbor, repairs, and supplies to ships of both these warring nations (Britain and Russia). He was not empowered to negotiate any true diplomatic agreements, let alone a formal treaty.

If anything, Stirling expected the Japanese to assert their neutrality in the war, and to most likely deny harbors to warships from either country. However, having just finished dealing with [[Commodore Perry]], Japanese authorities presumed that the British were here to demand similar concessions, and most especially in light of the outcome of the [[Opium War]], were fearful of the repercussions of resisting British demands. These preconceptions, combined with misunderstandings generated by the process of interpretation across multiple languages, resulted in the Japanese initiating negotiations towards a fuller treaty with the British, which would set up provisions for the fuller opening of ports to British ships, as had been arranged with the Americans.

If anything, Stirling expected the Japanese to assert their neutrality in the war, and to most likely deny harbors to warships from either country. However, having just finished dealing with [[Commodore Perry]], Japanese authorities presumed that the British were here to demand similar concessions, and most especially in light of the outcome of the [[Opium War]], were fearful of the repercussions of resisting British demands. These preconceptions, combined with misunderstandings generated by the process of interpretation across multiple languages, resulted in the Japanese initiating negotiations towards a fuller treaty with the British, which would set up provisions for the fuller opening of ports to British ships, as had been arranged with the Americans.