By Kazuki Mizuno
John Manjiro is the first Japanese who set foot on U. S. soil. He is a figure who represents the relationship between Japan and the United States.
John Manjiro was a young fisherman born in Japan. When he was 14 years old, his boat was shipwrecked off the coast of Japan and he and his friends were washed ashore on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
They were rescued by an American ship and taken to Honolulu, Hawaii. They wanted to go back to Japan, but it was impossible for them to return to Japan because Japan at that time was a secluded country. Even Japanese were not allowed to return to their home country. Four of them decided to stay in Honolulu, but John decided to head for the U. S. mainland. The captain of the ship, Capt. Whitfield, adopted the Japanese boy as his son and educated him. Capt. Whitefield helped John return to Japan. Being able to speak English, as well as being familiar with American affairs, after returning to Japan John played an important role in opening Japan’s doors to the West.
