Which 19th-century figure is known for opening Japan to U.S. trade?

The 19th-century figure known for opening Japan to U.S. trade is Commodore Matthew C. Perry. He played a significant role in the opening of Japan to the West with the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854. Perry led a naval expedition to Japan and used the show of force by his "black ships" to convince the Japanese government to sign treaties that would open trade with the United States.

Extra: The arrival of Commodore Perry in Japan in 1853 was a pivotal moment in Japanese history. At that time, Japan had been following a policy of sakoku, or "closed country," which severely restricted foreign influence and trade for over two centuries. Perry's expedition came with the implicit threat of military force, demonstrating the technological advances of the Western world, including steamships and modern weaponry. The subsequent agreements, known as the Convention of Kanagawa, were the first of several "unequal treaties" that opened Japan to international trade and interaction. These events eventually led to the end of the Tokugawa shogunate and the beginning of the Meiji Restoration, during which Japan underwent rapid modernization and westernization. Perry's role in these historic events highlights the global power shifts and imperial ambitions of the time, with Western powers exerting influence over isolated nations like Japan.