The Iwakura Mission

Iwakura Mission

What?

In November 1871, a Mission, known as the Iwakura Mission, departed on a 2 year survey of modern societies in the U.S. and Europe. The mission comprised of approximately 50 delegates, half of which were high ranking members of the ruling oligarchy, and about 60 students with the intention of leaving some behind to study in the foreign countries. Upon their return, they were expected to apply those aspects of western societies deemed appropriate to modernize Japanese society.

Purpose/ Goals

The mission’s ultimate goal was to create a modern state equal to that of the Western world. To do so, they intended to negotiate and revise unequal and unreasonable treaties with the U.S. and Europe that they had previously been forced to sign. They also were to gather information on various countries’ education, technology, culture military, and other institutions to begin the modernization of Japan.

Origins

Guido Verbeck was a foreign advisor that significantly affected modern Japanese education and contributed to many major government decisions during the early years of the reign of Emperor Meiji. He was a foreign (Dutch) advisor to the Ministry of Education in 1871, an educator, and missionary. He drew up a proposal for various departments of government to study schools, including universities, public and private schools, exams and diplomas, constitutions, laws and finance in France, England, Prussia, Holland, and America. When this proposal reached Iwakura Tomomi, he got it translated, and three months later, the Iwakura Mission left for the U.S.

Iwakura Tomomi

Iwakura Tomimi was a court noble, and became a minister of state from 1871 to 83. In 1871 he headed the Iwakura mission to Europe and the United States and brought back much useful information on foreign institutions and technology but failed to secure abolition of the unequal treaties.