In fact, opium had already entered china clandestinely in the early years of the qing dynasty, but the amount smuggled was not significant, and was slowly developing the smoking habits of the qing dynasty and accumulating consumer groups. While the average annual flow of opium into china during the emperor's term was just over 200 boxes, which was not significant in scale, it had a significant impact on the smokers and families, and since the emperor had received specific reports, tsing dynasty had begun to ban opium trafficking。
In the seventh year (1729), the emperor issued the regulations on the trafficking of opium and the opening of smoke houses, the first anti-drug decree in the world, which stipulates that: opium traffickers, the shackles of january, are in the army; and that the opening of a smoking house, which treats people as a cult, induces them to use drugs, is suspended, is a fine of 100 rods, 3,000 miles in exile, and is punishable by one hundred rods and three years ' imprisonment。
But the more the qing dynasty forbids, the greater the profit the merchants would risk, and by the time the kaqing emperor, the british imported more than 5,000 boxes of opium per year into china, which in less than a hundred years grew by 25 times the number of people who smoke opium. During the dynasty, several princes were addicted to opium and could imagine that opium had spread to the upper echelons of society。
Why does britain not export opium to japan
It was also known that opium was harmful to the japanese, and that during the tokugawa shogun era, a strict ban on opium was imposed, not only on traffickers, but also on those who had been arrested, who had been exiled and executed directly. As a result of opium consumption, the whole family suffered from one person's consumption, japan suffered from a small land, a large population, the effects of opium were too high, and strict policies for opium treatment by the tokugawa shogun were in place, with almost “zero tolerance” for opium throughout the country。
For three years (1853), commander perry of the united states navy opened japan's gates with artillery and demanded the opening of foreign commerce. The troops of the tokugawa shogun were unable to beat the american fleet and had to sign the japan-united states goodwill treaty (which had been translated into japan and china into the kanagawa treaty). Perry kindly reminded japanese officials at the shogun to beware of the opium trade in britain。
Opium
Opium was recorded as already cultivated in the first 3,400 years, and opium manufacture was recorded in egypt's history, in the first 1,500 years. It was used as analgesics and then spread to the mediterranean coast, as well as in the medical field, and in about five centuries opium was transmitted to china through the silk road. At the time of the eleventh century, the perception of addiction to opium was becoming clear and considered dangerous by western countries. However, the opium trade was not non-existent in japan, where opium use had been recorded during the kamakura era, where opium seeds had been obtained and started to grow but not successfully. In japan, opium cultivation has been recorded in the age of rivers and lakes, in the fields of today's pears, goyama, osaka, etc., with very little production, only for medicinal use。
The british fought with qing dynasty twice in the opium war, which completely opened the door of the qing dynasty and allowed the opium trade to proceed smoothly. The eyes of the british turned to japan and li dynasty, and the british sought to open the doors of the japanese and li dynasty. In accordance with the principles of being strong, weak, older and younger, the british have to deal with japan. For four years (1854), japan and the united kingdom signed the anglo-british treaty of good will (anglo-japanese friendship treaty), and the tokugawa shogun rejected the opium import trade。
In september of the same year (1862), four british businessmen met japanese warriors in the village of raw wheat on the outskirts of yokohama, japan, who failed to hide at the side of the road in accordance with rituals. The privileged japanese warriors killed a british businessman, and the war between britain and japan broke out, historically known as the “sai ying war”, was a war between samawan and the british fleet. Japan paid £25,000 in compensation to the united kingdom, and the british know that japan does not have a large opium market and that it does not have much to buy。
The prevailing story is that japan saw china be eroded by opium, defeated in the opium war and banned opium through the myungshi shining order, but there were still small stories. The tokugawa shogun, japan, has been defeated by the fallout, but the tokukawa shogun diplomacy is admirable, and its foreign policy has always been a national and a national, but because of its weak power, it has also signed some unequal treaties, among which there is one: the ban on the opium trade. This treaty has been inherited by the ming gestapo. The official japanese government has made clear that the japanese people instinctively believe that opium is a dangerous thing
It was also important that japan was not a target of european and american colonies, and that opium was being trafficked for the purpose, in addition to earning money, of paralysing the country's living forces and transforming it into a colony. The size of japan at that time was simply not comparable to that of qing dynasty, nor did it make much money from japan. At that time, japan had no resources and was prone to earthquakes, just an island country, and the countries of europe and the united states were simply using japan as a “money-for-money” site. Japan was once a gold-mining country, but edo was finally mined and left few。
In terms of labour, japan's population is far less than that of china, and although it has a unique culture, it is far from the west. Japan is a unique eastern country, as well as a major seismic power, recorded in the ancient years of europe and america, where natural disasters are severe and cannot be effective even if they are occupied. In addition, the basic tactics in the west are horse riding, with fewer plains and many mountains in japan. It's a waste of human and material resources to take japan
The government of li has also seen the danger of opium, which is open to commerce, but the opium trade is prohibited. The british tasted the closed door in japan and li chao。
According to statistics, in the late eighteenth century, the proportion of americans who smoked opium was 3,000 to 1, while in japan it was 17,000 to 18,000, i. E., between 17,000 and 18,000 japanese had a very small number of opium addicts。
Why is the british opium war only against the qing dynasty
From the end of tomorrow until the eve of the opium war, trade between the qing government and britain was asymmetrical, with the qing government gaining a large trade surplus in foreign trade, while the united kingdom had a deficit. The united kingdom and its colonies were net exporters of silver, most of which went to the qing dynasty. In an attempt to change the situation, british businessmen began to import drug opium into china by third-rate means。
The anti-smoking campaign of the qing dynasty had touched the interests of british businessmen and the united kingdom had launched two aggressive opium wars aimed at completely opening china's doors and dumping industrial products and drug opium. The qing dynasty at that time was a great power in the world, with a vast territory and a large population, and the british sought the wealth of the chinese and opened the door to huge military and economic gains。
As for japan, the small size of the country, the market outlook was not particularly favourable, but was left behind the qing dynasty switch。
Research on opium cultivation in japan in the early twentieth century
Japanese scholars had conducted an in-depth study of opium cultivation in japan in the early twentieth century. Japan, which had invaded taiwan and the islands of lake liang after the midday war, also needed to repair the damage caused by the war. During the first world war, japan replaced the british opium trade in the far east and became the world's largest producer of anaemic (opium)。
Japan started piloting opium poppy cultivation in three locations in the 31st year (1905): xiamen, taiwan, osaka, japan. The 31st year (1905) production was 4096 pounds and the 32nd year (1906) production was 4024 pounds. The average price of opium cultivation in japan in the thirty-one (1905) and thirty-two (1906) years was yen9. 5 and yen8. 8, while the price of opium produced in persia was yen7. 45, while japanese opium cultivation was apparently a trade in damages, so that opium cultivation in japan ended badly。
In the second year (1913), opium prices reached 13 yen per pound, and japan began to expand opium cultivation, both domestically and in taiwan, soon becoming the world's highest。
Although japanese grow opium, japanese are strictly forbidden to smoke and even those in taiwan are strictly prohibited from using it for trade and foreign exchange
Thus, japan has exempted itself from the seizure of opium, which is multifaceted, one being itself and the other being an opium seller. If opium were to be used as a commodity, there would be no reason to sell it if it could not earn money
