The Mission's Objective

These were the five most iconic members of the Iwakura Mission (1871-73). From left to right: Okubo Toshimichi, Ito Hirobumi, Iwakura Tomomi (in traditional Japanese garb), Yamaguchi Naoyoshi, Kido Takayoshi. Great Britain, 1872

The Iwakura Mission of 1871-73 was notable for many reasons, not the least being how soon after the Restoration it occurred. A mere three years after the Boshin War and the dissolution of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the new regime placed significant emphasis on both its position in the Western World and learning from the Western Powers when it sent a delegation of 108 people on December 23 first to the United States then traveling throughout much of the Western World.[1] Even more notable was the importance of the leaders of the mission to the new Japanese government: Prince Iwakura Tomomi was a government minister from the imperial court and leader of the embassy; Kido Takayoshi acted as a vice-ambassador from Chōshū; Ōkubo Toshimichi was both a vice-ambassador for Satsuma and Minister of Finance for the new government; and deputy ambassadors Itō Hirobumi of Chōshū and Yamaguchi Naoyoshi of Hizen came from the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, respectively. All in all, the Embassy contained some of the most powerful figures in the new government.[2] This photograph, which was taken in Great Britain in 1872, shows one facet of the Embassy’s mission in touring the West. The clothing worn in the image reveals the complex nature of Japan’s position among the Western nations: while Prince Iwakura, the leader of the mission, wears traditional Japanese attire, Kido, Ōkubo, Itō and Yamaguchi are all clad in modern Western clothing. The motive behind those decisions reflects one of the main objectives of the Iwakura Mission: to equalize Japan’s position with those of countries such as the United States, Great Britain, and other Western powers, both in reputation and diplomacy. After all, one of the Embassy’s important duties was to negotiate the terms of the numerous unequal treaties signed in 1858. At the same time, however, Prince Iwakura’s ostentatious clothing stands out as a reminder that Japan, despite its best efforts, was still exceedingly different – and therefore unequal – in the eyes of the West. Despite their best efforts, the delegates of the Mission were unable to revise the treaties and were told that their legal and political system had to be raised to European standards before treaty revision could even be considered.[3] Thus in one sense, the Iwakura Mission failed to achieve one of its main objectives.