The gentlemen`s agreement between the United States and Japan was a diplomatic understanding that was reached in 1907. The agreement was designed to address growing concerns in the United States over the influx of Japanese immigrants into the country. This agreement had far-reaching implications for both countries and is still studied today as a pivotal moment in US-Japanese relations.

So, what concessions did each side make?

On the US side, the concession was simple: Japan agreed to restrict the emigration of Japanese workers to the US. This was done in response to growing anti-Japanese sentiment in the United States, as many feared that Japanese immigrants would take jobs away from American workers and undermine the social fabric of the country.

On the Japanese side, the concession was more nuanced. Japan agreed to limit the number of passports it issued to Japanese citizens who wanted to emigrate to the United States. In addition, Japan agreed to stop issuing passports altogether to Japanese laborers who wanted to go to the US. This was done in order to appease the United States, which was concerned about the large number of Japanese laborers who were flooding into the country.

The gentlemen`s agreement was not a formal treaty, but rather an informal pact. However, it was binding on both sides and was seen as a significant step towards limiting Japanese immigration to the United States. Ultimately, the agreement was a compromise that allowed both countries to avoid a potential conflict over immigration policy.

Today, the gentlemen`s agreement is seen by many as a pivotal moment in US-Japanese relations. It set the stage for future negotiations between the two countries and helped to establish a framework for diplomatic talks that would endure for decades to come. As such, it remains an important historical event that is still studied and debated by scholars around the world.