-
Gentlemen's Agreement
Tension was growing between the U.S. and Japan because of the immigration of Japanese workers to America. The Gentlemen's Agreement of 1907 concluded an agreement to deny passports to workers intending to enter the U.S. --This contributed to a positive relationship with Japan because they both agreed that they didn't want too many Japanese workers coming to America.-- -
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941, Japanese fighter planes attacked Pearl Harbor. The United States lost almost 20 boats and nearly 200 airplanes. Over 2,000 American soliders and sailors died in the attack and 1,000 were wounded. America declared war on Japan. Three days later, Japan and its allies (Germany & Italy) also declared war on the United States. About two years into this conflict, America joined World War II --This resulted in a very negative relationship with Japan.-- -
U.S. drops bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
America dropped the first deployed atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. 80,000 people were killed imediately by the explosion while thousands of others later died of radiation exposure. America dropped another bomb on Nagasaki, Japan three days later, killing about 40,000 people. After this incident, Japan surrendered from World War II on August 15. --This created an even more negative relationship between the U.S. and Japan, although it did help end the war.-- -
U.S.-Japan Alliance
Under their Treaty of Mutual Cooperation in 1960, Japan and the United States were military allies. Because of its limited self-defense abilities, Japan relied on the United States' military in its territory to ensure a sense of security. Japan and the United States created an official alliance in October 2005. --This contributed to a positive relationship between the United States and Japan.-- -
U.S. and Japan agree on "A Shared Vision For the Future"
The United States and Japan aimed to enhance economic growth in both countries. They agreed to work together on a number of global issues, such as terrorism, disease control, and peacekeeping, as well as the protection and developement of critical areas like technology. --This helped build a positive relationship between the United States and Japan.-- -
Current Relationship & Summary
Earlier in history, Japan and the United States didn't have a very good relationship, especially during World War II. Over time, though, after the war ended, their relationship slowly grew more positive. Eventually, they created an alliance and agreed to work together. As of today, Japan and the United States have a relatively positive relationship.