A gentlemen`s agreement with Japan is a term used to describe an informal diplomatic agreement between the United States and Japan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a non-binding agreement between the two nations that allowed for limited immigration of Japanese citizens to the United States.
The agreement was reached in 1907 and was intended to address growing concerns in the United States about Japanese immigration. At the time, the United States was experiencing a surge in immigration from Japan, which was seen as a potential threat to American economic interests and national security.
The gentlemen`s agreement with Japan was not a formal treaty and did not involve any government agencies or officials. Instead, it was a private agreement between the two countries` leaders, President Theodore Roosevelt and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Katsura.
Under the terms of the agreement, Japan agreed to restrict the number of its citizens emigrating to the United States, while the United States agreed to allow Japanese immigrants already living in the country to bring their families over. The agreement also stipulated that the United States would not pass any laws that discriminated against Japanese immigrants.
While the gentlemen`s agreement with Japan was not legally binding, it was effective in reducing Japanese immigration to the United States. It remained in place until the early 1920s, when the United States passed a series of immigration laws that severely restricted immigration from Japan and other Asian countries.
The gentlemen`s agreement with Japan is significant in US history as it highlights the tensions that existed between the United States and Japan at the turn of the 20th century. It also provides insights into the complex political and diplomatic relationships that existed between the two nations at the time.
In conclusion, the gentlemen`s agreement with Japan was an informal diplomatic agreement between the United States and Japan that allowed for limited immigration of Japanese citizens to the United States. While it was not legally binding, it was effective in reducing Japanese immigration to the country and highlights the complex relationship that existed between the two nations at the time.