. ▁K end rick ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁known ▁American ▁to ▁have ▁visited ▁Japan . ▁He ▁apparently ▁plant ed ▁an ▁American ▁flag ▁and ▁claimed ▁the ▁islands , ▁although ▁only ▁one ▁English - language ▁account ▁of ▁the ▁voyage ▁exists . ▁In ▁ 1 7 9 2 ▁the ▁Russian ▁subject ▁Adam ▁La x man ▁visited ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁H ok ka ido . ▁From ▁ 1 7 9 7 ▁to ▁ 1 8 0 9 , ▁several ▁American ▁ships ▁trad ed ▁in ▁Nag as aki ▁under ▁the ▁Dutch ▁flag , ▁upon ▁the ▁request ▁of ▁the ▁Dutch ▁who ▁were ▁not ▁able ▁to ▁send ▁their ▁own ▁ships ▁because ▁of ▁their ▁conflict ▁against ▁Britain ▁during ▁the ▁Napole onic ▁Wars : ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 9 7 ▁US ▁Captain ▁William ▁Robert ▁Stewart , ▁commission ed ▁by ▁the ▁Dutch ▁from ▁Bat avia , ▁took ▁the ▁ship ▁El iza ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁to ▁Nag as aki , ▁Japan , ▁with ▁a ▁cargo ▁of ▁Dutch ▁trade ▁goods . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 3 , ▁William ▁Robert ▁Stewart ▁returned ▁on ▁board ▁a ▁ship ▁named ▁" The ▁Emperor ▁of ▁Japan " ▁( the ▁captured ▁and ▁renamed ▁" El iza ▁of ▁New ▁York "), ▁entered ▁Nag as aki ▁har bour ▁and ▁tried ▁in ▁vain ▁to ▁trade ▁through ▁the ▁Dutch ▁enc lave ▁of ▁De j ima . ▁ ▁Another ▁American ▁captain ▁John ▁Derby ▁of ▁S alem , ▁Massachusetts ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁Margaret , ▁tried ▁in ▁vain ▁to ▁open ▁Japan ▁to ▁the ▁op ium ▁trade . ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 4 , ▁the