, ▁probably ▁the ▁first ▁ever ▁seen ▁in ▁Japan . ▁His ▁efforts ▁cul min ated ▁in ▁the ▁signing ▁of ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Sh im oda ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 8 5 5 . ▁ ▁Within ▁five ▁years , ▁Japan ▁had ▁signed ▁similar ▁treat ies ▁with ▁other ▁western ▁countries . ▁The ▁Harris ▁Tre aty ▁was ▁signed ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 8 5 8 . ▁These ▁" An se i ▁Tre aties " ▁were ▁widely ▁regarded ▁by ▁Japanese ▁intellect uals ▁as ▁une qual , ▁having ▁been ▁forced ▁on ▁Japan ▁through ▁gun bo at ▁diplom acy , ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁sign ▁of ▁the ▁West ' s ▁desire ▁to ▁incorpor ate ▁Japan ▁into ▁the ▁imperial ism ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁taking ▁hold ▁of ▁the ▁continent . ▁Among ▁other ▁measures , ▁they ▁gave ▁the ▁Western ▁nations ▁une qu iv ocal ▁control ▁of ▁tar iffs ▁on ▁imports ▁and ▁the ▁right ▁of ▁extr ater rit orial ity ▁to ▁all ▁their ▁visit ing ▁national s . ▁They ▁would ▁remain ▁a ▁stick ing ▁point ▁in ▁Japan ' s ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁West ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁turn ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century . ▁ ▁Miss ions ▁to ▁the ▁West ▁ ▁Several ▁miss ions ▁were ▁sent ▁abroad ▁by ▁the ▁Bak uf u , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁learn ▁about ▁Western ▁civil ization , ▁rev ise ▁treat ies , ▁and ▁delay ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁cities ▁and ▁har bour ▁to ▁foreign ▁trade . ▁ ▁A ▁Japanese ▁Emb ass y ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁was ▁sent ▁in ▁ 1