= Sakoku = '''Sakoku''' ('''鎖国''') was a policy of isolationism. Some scholars refer to this as '''kaikoku''' ('''海禁''', ''maritime restrictions'') to clarify that there were exceptions. <> ---- == History == Beginning in 1639, sakoku was the preeminent economic policy of the [[Japan/Monarchs#Tokugawa_Shogunate|Tokugawa]] shogunate. Trade was restricted tightly. Immigration was also entirely forbidden, with the primary intention therein being the expulsion and execution of foreign missionaries. In 1868, the shogunate was [[UnitedStates/MatthewCPerry|coerced]] into ending isolationism. ---- CategoryRicottone