JAPAN.
TREATY OF PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE EMPIRE OF JAPAN AND THE KINGDOM OF COREA (CHOSEN).
Signed at KoкWA, 26TH FEBRUARY, 1876.
The Governments of Japan and Chosen being desirous to resume the amicable relations that of yore existed between them, and to promote the friendly feelings of both nations to a still firmer basis, have, for this purpose, appointed their Pleni- potentiaries, that is to say:-The Government of Japan, Kuroda Kiyotaka, High Commissioner Extraordinary to Chosen, Lieutenant-General and Member of the Privy Council, Minister of the Colonization Department, and Inouyè Kaoru, Associate High Commissioner Extraordinary to Chosen, Member of the Genrô In; and the Government of Chosen, Shiu Ken, Han-Choo-Su-Fu and In-Jishô, Fu-So-Fu, Fuku-sô-Kwan, who, according to the powers received from their respective Govern. ments have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles :
Art. I.-Chosen being an independent state enjoys the same sovereign rights as does Japan.
In order to prove the sincerity of the friendship existing between the two nations, their intercourse shall henceforward be carried on in terms of equality and courtesy, each avoiding the giving of offence by arrogance or manifestations of suspicion.
In the first instance, all rules and precedents that are apt to obstruct friendly intercourse shall be totally abrogated, and, in their stead, rules, liberal and in general usage fiɩ to secure a firm and perpetual peace, shall be established.
Art. II. The Government of Japan, at any time within fifteen months from the date of signature of this Treaty, shill have the right to send an Envoy to the capital of Chosen, when he shall be admitted to confer with the Rei-solan-sho on matters of a diplomatic nature. He may either reside at the capital or return to his country on the completion of his mission.
The Government of Chosen in like manner shall have the right to send au Envoy to Tokyo, Japan, where he shall be admitted to confer with the Minister for Foreign Affairs on matters of a diplomatic nature. He may either reside at Tokyo or return home on the completion of Lis mission.
Art. III.-All official communications addressed by the Government of Japan to that of Chosen shall be written in the Japanese language and for a period of ten years from the present date they shall be accompanied by a Chinese trauslation. The Government of Chosen will use the Chinese language.
Art. IV. Sorio in Fusan, Chosen, where an official establishment of Japan is situated, is a place originally opened for commercial intercourse with Japan, and trade shall henceforward be carried on at that place in accordance with the provisions of this Treaty, whereby are abolished all former usages, such as the practice of Sai- ken-sen (junk annually sent to Chosen by the late Prince of Tsushima to exchange a certain quantity of articles between each other).
In addition to the above place, the Government of Chosen agrees to open two ports, as mentioned in Article V. of this Treaty, for commercial intercourse with Japanese subjects.
In the foregoing places Japanese subjects shall be free to lease land and to erect buildings thereon, and to rent buildings, the property of subjects of Chosen.
Art. V.On the coast of five provinces, viz.: Keikin, Chiusei, Jenra, Keisho, and Kankio, two ports, suitable for commercial purposes, shall be selected, and the time for opening these two ports shall be in the twentieth month from the second month of the ninth year of Meiji, corresponding with the date of Chosen, the first moon of the year Hei-shi.
Art. VI. Whenever Japanese vessels either by stress of weather or by want of fuel and provisions cannot reach one or the other of the open ports in Chosen, they may enter any port or harbour either to take refuge therein, or to get supplies of
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