JAPAN THE Japanese islands lie near the coast of Corea, on the eastern side of Asia, in the north Pacific Ocean, between 31° and 4 I' of N. Lat. and 129° and 142° E. Long.
The Empire of Japan is composed of an extensive cluster of islands, by much the largest and most important of which is called Niphon or Jepuen. This island is of a triangular form, and is upwards of 700 miles long, but does not exceed 80 miles in breadth. Adjoining to the south-west point of Niphon are Kiusiu or Saikoff, 140 miles long by 90 broad, and Sikoff, 95 miles long by 45 in breadth. The island of Jesso or Matzumay, on the north of Niphon, from which it is separated by the straits of Sangar, about nine miles in breadth, was conquered from its original inhabitants, the Ainos, and is now also included in the Japanese dominions ; but, though larger than the two last, its dimensions are not mentioned by geo graphers. These are environed by other islands of incon siderable size and note.
The discovery of this extensive insular power, abound ing in natural and artificial resources, and of an overflow ing population, does not reach farther back than the mid dle of the 16th century. It appears that we are indebted to the travellers Rubruquis and Marco Polo for the first mention of the existence of this country. Fernando Men dez Pinto, sailing in a Chinese junk from Macao to the Likeo islands, was wrecked on the Japanese coast, in 1542, and he accordingly has the merit of being the first Euro pean discoverer of Japan. Three other Portuguese dis pute with Pinto this honour, pretending that they touched on the coast of Satzuma the same year ; but luckily neither the year of discovery, nor the nation of the discoverer, is affected by this dispute. Japan was soon after visited by the Spaniards, and (what is a singular circumstance) their first visit, like the original discovery of the island, was owing to a shipwreck. The governor of Manilla, on his voyage from New Spain, being wrecked, in 1609, on the Japanese coast, was sent with his attendants by the Emperor of Japan to Acapulco. An embassy, withrich presents from the Spaniards to the emperor, followed in 1611. But all Christians being extirpated from his do minions, both Spaniards and Portuguese were excluded; nor has an intercourse been again attempted, although, from the vicinity of the Philippine islands, a commerce mutually advantageous might be expected. The Dutch,
from their enterprizing spirit of trade, could not fail to regard Japan with a longing eye; and as no Europeans had acquired a permanent footing there, they were eager to push their commercial interests in that quarter. An accident favoured their views. In 1 600 a squadron of five ships, which sailed from the Texel for the East Indies, Was lost in the straits of Magellan, with the exception of one Dutch ship, steered by an Englishman of the name of William Adams, which reached the harbour of Bungo in Lat. 35° 30'. Adams was fortunate enougb to ingratiate himself with the Emperor of Japan, who loaded him with presents, but would not consent to his returning home. The accounts he sent to Batavia, with the prospects he held out of a beneficial commerce between the two coun tries, induced the Dutch East India Company to dispatch a ship thither in 1609 ; and thus, through the intervention of an individual, are the Dutch indebted for their establish ment at Japan. They arc the only people that have con trived to retain the favour of the Japanese, who, under humiliating restrictions, permit them to carry on a trade, limited to the dispatch of two small ships antially from Batavia to Japan. Nearly about the same time, the English also, by means of their countryman Adams, had permis sion to build a factory on the island of Firando; but though they were well received, and allowed to traffic on advan tageous terms, the trade was abandoned for reasons hitherto unexplained. The Dutch thus remained the only Euro pean merchants in Japan. In conformity with their policy, they endeavour to throw a veil of secrecy over the scene of their commercial pursuits, being probably apprehen sive lest their transactions should be viewed in too strong a light. Notwithstanding this prohibition of intelligence, we have been furnished with full and pretty accurate details concerning the state of the Japanese islands. In addition to the corrected accounts transmitted us by Kxmpfer and Thunberg, Captain Ktusenstern, who was selected by the present Emperor of Russia to carry the Russian flag for the first time round the world, and on board whose ship an einuassy was conveyed to Japan, has given us valuable information about the Japanese coasts and harbours.