The Golovnin Incident involved the capture of the Russian explorer and naval captain Vasily Golovnin in 1811 by soldiers of the Japanese Tokugawa shogunate in accordance of Japan's policy of isolationism (Sakoku). Golovnin was interned in Japan for two years before he was released in 1813. The incident was an important flashpoint in Russo-Japanese relations over the control of the Kuril Islands. Golovnin's book Memoirs of a Captivity in Japan during the Years 1811, 1812 and 1813 with observations on the country and the people, recounted his captivity, was a popular work in Europe, and was translated into several languages. Original mission In April 1811, the Russian minister of the Marine directed the sloop Diana to explore the Southern Kuril and Shantar Islands as well as the Tartary Coast. Golovnin had originally been dispatched from Kronstadt to the north-west of the Pacific in 1807 to chart the eastern coast of the Russian Empire. During the 18th century, Russian fur trappers had moved through Siberia towards the north-west of the Pacific, and some had even settled in the Kuril. Prior attempts to map the islands had proved difficult because of the mists that rose from the islands, as well as the strong winds. The expedition would sail in the summer when conditions would be optimal, and Golovnin would then continue to the Shantar Islands. The Diana left Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on 25 April through the ice flows and set to sea from Avacha Bay on 4 May. Golovnin was conscientious of respecting relations between Russia and Japan, as his voyage came after several diplomatic incidents with Japan such as the castaway incident of Daikokuya Kōdayū in 1784, the Adam Laxman incident of 1791, and Nikolai Rezanov's failed trade mission in 1805. Rezanov then visited the United States and was brought back to Siberia by Lieutenant Chwostoff in vessels belonging to the Russian-American Company but died when he reached Siberia in 1807. Chwostoff, however, proceeded to raid Japanese villages in Sakhalin and the Kurils without the tsardom's authority. The Diana sailed to the island of Eetooroop and made contact with a group of Ainu, or Kuriles, who had been sent by the Japanese to investigate the Europeans. Golovnin proceeded to meet the Japanese military commander of the island and declared his intention to collect wood and water and then to be on his way. The commander stated that he could not trust the Russians