I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 161

Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity

“Oh, is that so? Lord Killian truly has a deep understanding of our country. I never imagined you would know even the famous places in Kyoto.”

“Kyoto is the heart of Japan, where His Majesty resides. Of course, I should know it.”

Emperor Ninko.

The 120th Emperor of Japan and the current Emperor, the spiritual pillar of Japan.

Although he didn’t have much real power, he tried to fulfill his role by striving to establish educational institutions within the Imperial Household.

As the Shogun had said, the meeting with the Emperor was held in a more relaxed atmosphere rather than strictly adhering to formalities.

This was possible because it took the form of the Emperor personally welcoming Tokugawa’s bloodline, rather than meeting with an official foreign envoy.

“Given your mixed-blood background, it must have been difficult to establish yourself in a foreign country, but to rise to the position of the Queen’s husband is truly remarkable. I am not well-informed, but is the King of Britain as powerful as the kings of Joseon [ancient Korean kingdom] or Qing [the last imperial dynasty of China]?”

“That is not the case. Although there are still many such countries in Europe, the British Empire is a cabinet system that conducts politics based on law. The monarch reigns but does not rule.”

“Then it seems like a similar situation to ours. Is there a position like Shogun there as well?”

“There is a Prime Minister who leads the Parliament. However, the Prime Minister is also not someone who rules the British Empire. To be precise, what governs the British Empire is law and the system. The Prime Minister, the King, and the Parliament all operate the country based on this law.”

The Emperor’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as he heard about the constitutional monarchy for the first time.

“That’s fascinating. Then what role does Lord Killian play there? I heard that you are a daimyo [powerful feudal lord] of a land larger than even Qing China.”

“Daimyo… As the Duke of Canada and Ambassador Plenipotentiary, it is similar but also different. My position is guaranteed by law, not because I am the Queen’s husband or a Duke.”

“Oh, the more I hear, the more fascinating it becomes. Do you think Japan will also move in that direction in the future?”

“I think that depends on how the sentiment and situation in this country change.”

The person who called me to this place.

The Emperor, who was given only a symbolic role in the back room, seemed quite interested in the British Empire’s system.

Since he was trying to establish educational institutions, he must have been interested in various systems of other countries.

Of course, it could also be that he was dissatisfied with the reality of having to play only a figurehead role without any authority.

The Emperor asked several times, as if seeking confirmation, about how other European countries were currently operating and how they treated their kings.

Guessing his intentions, I enthusiastically explained how, even though the trend was for royal power to weaken, the king still possessed tremendous power.

“…Thus, in our British Empire, although it cannot be said that the Queen rules the country, Her Majesty’s legally authorized powers are incredibly strong. If she so desires, she can even dismiss the Prime Minister, who is equivalent to the Shogun in Japan. Other countries will be even more so.”

“So, it is a rule of law, but that law rather justifies the royal authority. Interesting. But according to the Shogun, we will be establishing diplomatic relations with your country in the future, so there is no reason why we should not adopt your country’s advanced civilization and system, is there?”

“That’s right. As Your Majesty said.”

“I see. I understand. The details will be taken care of by the working-level officials, but if we have to establish diplomatic relations, I think it is right to do so with Your Highness’s country, where the blood of Tokugawa flows, rather than with other countries. However, there is one thing I would like to ask, which is why I called Your Highness here.”

“I will grant whatever Your Majesty desires.”

Emperor Ninko chuckled softly and lowered his voice to the point where even I, standing right in front of him, could barely hear.

“In order for our country to develop, I think it is right to accept advanced foreign ideas. What do you think, Your Highness?”

“I think similarly. In fact, the reason Japan is enjoying its current prosperity is because it quickly accepted the advanced civilization of the continent through Qing and Joseon in the past, and added its own unique color to it, isn’t it?”

“You only speak the truth. Then, if we engage in trade, advanced Western learning and ideas will naturally flow into this place… Isn’t there a way to systematize this more systematically? That way, this country can develop further.”

The words are good.

Except that the intention is obvious.

Well, the Emperor is also a human being, so how much helplessness would accumulate if he lived his whole life as a powerless figurehead?

Even Joseon, right above them, had Sado politics [referring to the controversial reign of Crown Prince Sado], but the officials could never ignore the king and act, and Qing was, of course, beyond comparison.

It is not unreasonable for Emperor Ninko to think that if Japan adopts a system like the British Empire, his authority will be much stronger than it is now.

Even if that’s not the case, the power of the Shogun, who has been suppressing him until now, will be limited, so that wouldn’t be bad either.

I never thought the Emperor would have such thoughts.

Who would have thought it wasn’t the end of the century, but Woongbeon [likely a reference to a specific political faction or movement], the Shogun, and even the Emperor were all harboring different thoughts and looking for opportunities to stab each other in the back. It’s beautiful.

But now that I know this situation, I can’t just let it pass.

I was already thinking of a suitable excuse to insert that phrase into this trade treaty, but the other side brought the idea themselves.

“Your Majesty is right. As I also hope that both countries will prosper together, I should think about it a little more. Hmm… what would be good?”

While sipping alcohol and pretending to be lost in thought for a while, I emptied my glass a few more times and opened my mouth again.

“Then let’s do this.”

“······?”

The Emperor’s eyes widened at my suggestion, and then he smiled and nodded.

Of course, the more channels there are to accept advanced civilization, the better.

The people in high positions have the right ideas, so I can’t help but smile with satisfaction.

The Japanese people must be very happy.

I envy them.

* * *

Now that the meeting with the Emperor has ended well, there was no one blocking the trade treaty.

Now that Emperor Ninko has officially announced that he welcomes the treaty with the British Empire, a friend of Japan, those who advocate reverence for the Emperor and expulsion of foreigners have become tight-lipped.

“Yang refers to the Western barbarians. How can the Great British Empire, where Lord Killian of Tokugawa’s bloodline resides, be Yang?”

“That’s right! The Yang we are talking about are countries like France and Russia. It is impossible to classify the country where Lord Killian resides as Yang in the first place!”

There is no tomb without an excuse [idiomatic expression meaning people will always find a reason to justify their actions]. Look at the speed at which they change their words in an instant.

The whole world is Udyr [reference to a character known for adapting to different situations].

Anyway, thanks to this flow, I easily revised some of the treaties I had prepared and showed them to the Shogun.

“This is the draft of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity. If there are no objections, we can conclude the treaty as it is. Please take a look and let me know your opinions.”

“Hmm… this is…”

Still, since it was a treaty of amity, although it was an unequal treaty, I didn’t put on shackles too obviously.

Because it didn’t matter if the real shackles were put on after the war between the shogunate and the Woongbeon that would soon erupt.

“Article 1. Perpetual amity shall be established between the two countries of Britain and Japan and their peoples, regardless of people and place. I have no opinion on this.

Article 2. Shimoda, Hakodate, Kobe, Niigata, Yokohama, and Nagasaki shall be opened to trade. Tariffs shall be determined by mutual consultation between the two countries, and within the opened ports, the laws of the British Empire shall take precedence for merchants of the British Empire. Opening the ports is fine, but the latter is a bit…”

“This cannot be helped. The legal systems of the two countries are too different, and the perception of Europeans has become fixed due to the accident that occurred in China. If the Japanese side prepares modern laws, we will naturally comply with the Japanese side’s laws.”

Extraterritoriality is regarded as part of a typical unequal treaty, and that is actually true, but at that time, Europeans had already created a perfect excuse to justify this.

The excuse was that the instability of trade became too great due to the Eastern system, where the state arbitrarily interfered with trade and stretched the law like rubber bands.

Still, since the principle of agreed tariffs was established, the Shogun did not particularly object to this.

The rest were mostly common clauses such as most-favored-nation treatment, treatment of shipwrecked persons, temporary entry into other ports in case of bad weather, and the establishment of consulates by both sides to communicate through the consulates.

The really important thing is the last two clauses.

The Shogun carefully read Article 13, which he had so desired, several times, checking if there were any insufficient parts.

“The two countries shall conclude a mutual alliance, and if either country receives a request for support from the government when attacked by other forces, it shall have the obligation to respond. Or, even if there is no request for support, it shall have the right to send support troops temporarily if it is determined that the situation is urgent.

Why was the content attached after this inserted?”

“Well, the support request may not arrive in time if the situation is too urgent. Besides, even if the Shogun requests support, there is a concern that contact may be cut off by hostile forces, isn’t there? It was put in for that time.”

“I see. Well, there is always a case of one in ten thousand, so it seems like there is nothing wrong with being careful.

According to this clause, even if Russia, France, or the United States knock on the door hard, demanding that the country be opened, they will have the power to refuse and endure.

If they engage in inclusion diplomacy, it can be interpreted as an attack, and they can request help from the British Empire.

And even if the Woongbeon in the provinces revolt, they can try to subdue them with the power of the shogunate first, and if the situation does not allow it, they can request support at that time, so they can sleep with their legs stretched out.”

“But this last one… is it a clause requested by His Majesty the Emperor?”

“Yes. His Majesty is a true monarch who thinks about the future of this country. So I came up with this clause to help this country even a little more.”

“The British Empire and Japan will jointly create the ‘East Asian Strength Enhancement and Development Fund’ and give the opportunity to study abroad to talented people who want it in both countries. If there are people among the Japanese students who want to, they can receive free education in Canada? Why Canada? If you really want to see and learn the developed system, shouldn’t you go to the capital of Britain…”

“That’s not true. It may be a bit uncomfortable for the Shogun to hear, but the difference between London and Edo [old name for Tokyo] is too great now. What kind of feelings do you think the intellectuals here will feel if they go to London? Will they burn with the desire to make Edo like this?”

“Well… wouldn’t they?”

“No. The first thing they will think is that it is daunting. They won’t know where to start to make the city like this, and they will feel like they are facing a high wall that they can’t see the end of. That’s why I chose Canada. Canada is currently undergoing rapid industrialization, and in about ten years, major cities will grow as much as London. In other words, students can see the whole process of a poor city developing into a giant city like London.”

Of course, it’s a lie.

The students will receive thoroughly selected education and become loyal first-generation immigrants who shout, “The British Empire Canada is the best, Killian Tokugawa is the best,” and want to settle in Canada forever.

Of course, the Shogun’s face, which had been dubious, immediately brightened up.

“Ah, that’s right! From our perspective, which is just about to develop, it is much more efficient to look at Canada, which is currently developing, and apply it to this side as it is. I understood immediately.”

“That’s right. And we are planning to receive not only students but also large-scale immigrants. It is important not only for a few intellectuals but also for the experiences of people who have actually learned technology and run factories in the field.”

This is also a lie.

Canada can never have too many intellectuals, but for now, we need to pump up the absolute population as much as possible, so we need to bring as many people as possible.

I’m thinking of taking only the lower classes who are easy to handle to Canada. Would the Japanese lower classes who have settled in Canada want to return to their home country?

They will grab my pants and beg me to bury them in Canada even if I kill them.

“And if the Shogun has any unruly intellectuals who he doesn’t want to see in the country, you can hand them over to us. If they receive excellent education in British Canada and return, the wind will be out of their lungs and they will become true patriotic citizens who want to develop the country.”

“Oh, I didn’t know there was such a hidden meaning. When I heard it, I realized that those who are an eyesore can be exiled overseas under the pretext of studying abroad. I didn’t know you would transform and apply His Majesty’s proposal so exquisitely.”

“Shogun, please trust me and rest assured. As long as I am here, the Tokugawa family will be praised forever as heroes who have made this Japan the best developed country in Asia! Hahahaha!”

This was not a lie but half the truth.

Of course, I didn’t bother to tell him that Tokugawa, who is referred to here, is not Shogun Ieyoshi but me.

Still, whether my sweet talk was effective, my dear cousin Tokugawa Ieyoshi was excited and wrote his name on the agreement I brought and stamped it.

I also signed as the representative of the British Empire and poured alcohol into a glass and handed it to the Shogun.

Come on, let’s have a drink. At least you can have happy dreams while you’re alive, right?

The first treaty Japan has ever signed with a Western country.

The Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity came into effect from this moment.