The Gentlemen’s Agreement was an informal agreement between the United States and Japan reached in 1907-1908 to resolve the issue of Japanese immigration to the United States. It was never a formal treaty or contract, but rather an understanding between the two countries.
History
The influx of Japanese immigrants into the United States began in the late 19th century. By 1900, there were over 100,000 Japanese immigrants living in the United States and their numbers were increasing.
This caused a great deal of concern and discrimination against the Japanese in the US, particularly in California. In 1906, the San Francisco Earthquake, and resulting fire, destroyed much of the city, displacing thousands of people. Many of the Japanese immigrants were blamed for the disaster, and they were subject to discrimination, violence, and harassment.
In response, the Japanese government sent a special envoy, Baron Chinda Sutemi, to the United States to discuss the situation and look for a solution. President Theodore Roosevelt was sympathetic to the Japanese concerns and agreed to negotiate an agreement to limit Japanese immigration.
Terms of the Agreement
The Gentlemen’s Agreement was not a written agreement, but rather an informal understanding between the two countries. Under the agreement, Japan agreed to restrict the issuance of passports to Japanese laborers, with the exception of those who had families already in the United States or who were coming to the US to engage in non-labor activities.
In return, the United States agreed to stop the discrimination and harassment of Japanese immigrants. The agreement also allowed Japanese immigrants who were already in the US to stay in the country, although they were not allowed to bring in new family members.
The Gentlemen’s Agreement was successful in reducing the number of Japanese immigrants coming to the United States, and it helped to improve the relations between the two countries.
Legacy
The Gentlemen’s Agreement remained in place until 1924 when the Immigration Act of 1924 canceled the agreement and severely restricted the immigration of all Asian nationals. The Immigration Act of 1924 had a profound impact on Japanese-American communities, as it virtually halted Japanese immigration to the United States and effectively ended the Gentlemen's Agreement.
The United States and Japan formally abrogated the Gentlemen’s Agreement in 1952 as part of the peace treaty that marked the end of the Second World War.
