Iyeyasn, who was intent on promoting the material prosperity of Japan, wished to culti vate friendly relations with China and Korea, and tried to remove the feeling of enmity by restoring the captives of war. In 1606 sent an embassy and renewed her commerce with Tsushima, but China repulsed the ad vances of Iyevasu, and forbade her subjects to trade with Japan. Notwithstanding this, all through the Tokugawa period Chinese !mer chants came in large numbers to the port of Nagasaki.
Japan was brought to the notice of Eu ropeans for the first time by Marco Polo. His description of Zipangu, immensely rich in gold, made a deep impression on the minds of Eu ropeans, and it is a well-known fact that Colum bus had the discovery of the island in view when he set out on his westward 'voyage. It was, however, in 1542 that the Europeans first reached Japan. In that year three Portuguese adventurers, Antonio da Mota, Francisco Zeimoto and Antonio Pexoto by name, met a violent storm on their way from Siam to Ningpo, and after drifting for some days on the broad sea arrived at the islands in the south of Japan.* According to a trustworthy Japan ese accountf the first arrival of Europeans was at Tanegathima off the coast of Satsuma in 1543. But the *big ship with a crew of mere than one hundred men of strange forms and unintelligible language* seems to have keen other than the junk of the three adventurers. This ship seems to have come after the dis covery was made known by the adventurers. The Portuguese commerce once opened grew in importance very rapidly_ Already in 1546, we find no less than three Portuguese vessels trading in the ports of Satsuma at the same time.
The Jesuit missionaries helped to bring about farther growth of cownnerce. Ie 2547 a certain Yajiro of Kagoshima,* who having committed a homicide took refuge in a temple and became a bonze, was taken to Malacca in a Portagnese vessel. There he met Francis Xavier, who was one of the first mem bers of the new order of Jesuits, founded in 1540, and had been engaged since 1542 in the conversion of the East. Following Xavier's ad vice, Yajiro went to Goa and entered the Jesuit College of Saint Paul, March 1548. He was baptized a short time afterward and was henceforth known as Paul of the Holy Faith. In 1549 Xavier left India takin/ with him Paul and his two servants, and two esuits— Father Cosmo de Torres and Brother uan Fernandez, —and arrived at Kagoshima on The 15th of August of the same year. After
about a year in Satsuma, Xavier was obi to leave ou account of the violent olposittou of the Buddhist priests. He went to Hired!) — Firando, as the Europeans used to call it — and thence to Yamaguchi. Xavier also visited Mikado, the capital, but, finding it in a state of great confosicrn consequent to the ware, he gave up the idea of preaching there and returned po Yansaguchi. In November 1551 he left for India from the port of Fuji in Bungo. stay in japan was a little over two years and he made only about 700 converts, hut he con ceived such a good apinion of the convertibility of the people, that he wrote to Rome straliely recommending the sending of more-members of the order_ Im order to facilitate the voyage, he proposed that the viceroy of -India or some rich merchants should be induced to send regularly trading vessels laden with pepper and 'European goods, which would sell very profitably. lk urged that they must catch 'revery one by his own bait? Xavier', suggestions were acted upon. Beginning with three in 155Z Jesuit mission aries were seat from time to time, and encour agement of the Japanese trade resulted in its rapid growth.
The Portuguese vessels first visited the ports of Satsuma and Bungo. Xavier induced these vessels to come to Hirado when he was ordered to leave Satsuma, and so long as Christianity was favored the port remained a flourishing centre of foreign trade. As. how ever, The Prince of Ffirado acceded to the de mand of the Buddhist priests and became un friendly to the missionaries, the captains began to visit other ports after 1562. In 15X) They entered the port of Kagasaki for the first time, and as the harbor was very con amient and the Prince friendly to the Chris tians it was made the port for Portuguese com merce. A few years later the Prince of Omura presented Nagasaki to the Church. The Jesuits made it the headquarters of their mission, and many churches and convents were boat. The Portuguese settled there in large numbers, and Japanese merchants nocited from all parts of the country. Nagasaki, which was a small fish ing village, soon became a very flourishing com mercial town. After the conquest of Kyushu, Plideyoshi confiscated the territory and ap pointed a Bugyo to look after the government of this important town. At that time there were 23 streets and the hills had to be cut and the sea filled np, to make room for enlarging the city.