« The Gentlemen`s Agreement: A Historical Pact Between the United States and Japan »
The Gentlemen`s Agreement was a pact between the United States and Japan in the early 1900s that aimed to regulate the immigration of Japanese citizens to the United States. This agreement was not actually a written treaty, but rather a diplomatic understanding that was reached between the two countries.
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, many Japanese citizens emigrated to the United States in search of better job opportunities and a better quality of life. However, this influx of Japanese immigrants was met with resistance and discrimination from many Americans, who viewed the Japanese as a threat to their jobs and their society.
In response to this tension, the United States government proposed the Gentlemen`s Agreement in 1907, which was an informal agreement with Japan that limited the number of Japanese immigrants coming to the United States.
Under the terms of the Gentlemen`s Agreement, Japan agreed to stop issuing passports to Japanese citizens who wanted to emigrate to the United States, unless they were coming to the US for business, study or to join family members. Meanwhile, the United States agreed to stop segregating Japanese school children in California, which had caused widespread anger and protests among Japanese citizens and their government.
The Gentlemen`s Agreement remained in effect until 1924, when new immigration laws were passed in the United States that imposed strict quotas on the number of immigrants from each country, including Japan. This led to a sharp decline in Japanese immigration to the United States, and it would not be until the 1950s and 1960s that a new wave of Japanese immigrants would arrive in the country.
Today, the Gentlemen`s Agreement is remembered as a significant moment in the history of Japanese-American relations and the history of immigration policy in the United States. While it was an informal agreement that was never legally binding, it nonetheless had a major impact on the lives of Japanese citizens and their families in both countries.