Millard Fillmore,
President of the United States of America,
to His Imperial Majesty,
the Emperor of Japan,

November 13, 1852.

Great and Good Friend!
I send you this public letter by Commodore Matthew C. Perry, an officer of the highest rank in
the navy of the United States, and commander of the squadron now visiting your imperial
majesty's dominions.

I have directed Commodore Perry to assure your imperial majesty that I entertain the kindest
feelings towards your majesty's person and government, and that I have no other object in
sending him to Japan but to propose to your imperial majesty that the United States and Japan
should live in friendship and have commercial intercourse with each other.

The Constitution and laws of the United States forbid all interference with the religious or
political concerns of other nations. I have particularly charged Commodore Perry to abstain
from every act which could possibly disturb the tranquility of your imperial majesty's dominions.
The United States of America reach from ocean to ocean, and our Territory of Oregon and
State of California lie directly opposite to the dominions of your imperial majesty. Our
steamships can go from California to Japan in eighteen days.

Our great State of California produces about sixty millions of dollars in gold every year, besides
silver, quicksilver, precious stones, and many other valuable articles. Japan is also a rich and
fertile country, and produces many very valuable articles. Your imperial majesty's subjects are
skilled in many of the arts. I am desirous that our two countries should trade with each other,
for the benefit both of Japan and the United States.

We know that the ancient laws of your imperial majesty's government do not allow of foreign
trade, except with the Chinese and the Dutch; but as the state of the world changes and new
governments are formed, it seems to be wise, from time to time, to make new laws. There was
a time when the ancient laws of your imperial majesty's government were first made.
About the same time America, which is sometimes called the New World, was first discovered
and settled by the Europeans. For a long time there were but a few people, and they were
poor. They have now become quite numerous; their commerce is very extensive; and they
think that if your imperial majesty were so far to change the ancient laws as to allow a free
trade between the two countries it would be extremely beneficial to both.

If your imperial majesty is not satisfied that it would be safe altogether to abrogate the ancient
laws which forbid foreign trade, they might be suspended for five or ten years, so as to try the
experiment. If it does not prove as beneficial as was hoped, the ancient laws can be restored.
The United States often limit their treaties with foreign states to a few years, and then renew
them or not, as they please.

I have directed Commodore Perry to mention another thing to your imperial majesty. Many of
our ships pass every year from California to China; and great numbers of our people pursue
the whale fishery near the shores of Japan. It sometimes happens, in stormy weather, that one
of our ships is wrecked on your imperial majesty's shores. In all such cases we ask, and
expect, that our unfortunate people should be treated with kindness, and that their property
should be protected, till we can send a vessel and bring them away. We are very much in
earnest in this.

Commodore Perry is also directed by me to represent to your imperial majesty that we
understand there is a great abundance of coal and provisions in the Empire of Japan. Our
steamships, in crossing the great ocean, burn a great deal of coal, and it is not convenient to
bring it all the way from America. We wish that our steamships and other vessels should be
allowed to stop in Japan and supply them selves with coal, provisions, and water. They will pay
for them in money, or anything else your imperial majesty's subjects may prefer; and we
request your imperial majesty to appoint a convenient port, in the southern part of the empire,
where our vessels may stop for this purpose. We are very desirous of this.

These are the only objects for which I have sent Commodore Perry, with a powerful squadron,
to pay a visit to your imperial majesty's renowned city of Edo: friendship, commerce, a supply
of coal and provisions, and protection for our shipwrecked people.

We have directed Commodore Perry to beg your imperial majesty's acceptance of a few
presents. They are of no great value in themselves; but some of them may serve as
specimens of the articles manufactured in the United States, and they are intended as tokens
of our sincere and respectful friendship.

May the Almighty have your imperial majesty in His great and holy keeping!
In witness whereof, I have caused the great seal of the United States to be hereunto affixed,
and have subscribed the same with my name, at the city of Washington, in America, the seat
of my government, on the thirteenth day of the month of November, in the year one thousand
eight hundred and fifty-two.

[Seal attached.]

Your good friend,
Millard Fillmore.

By the President:
Edward Everett, Secretary of State.