Consul General Takahashi’s attendance at the seminar “The Diplomacy of Gift Exchange” at Boston University (February 25, 2026)
March 2, 2026
On February 25, Consul General Takahashi attended the seminar “The Diplomacy of Gift Exchange: During the 1853-1854 Perry Expedition to Japan with Matthew C. Perry,” held at the Center for the Study of Asia, Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University, and delivered remarks.
At the seminar, Dr. Matthew Perry, a fourth-generation descendant of Commodore Matthew C. Perry of the Black Ship Expedition, gave a presentation on the impact of Commodore Perry’s diplomatic gifts to the Tokugawa Shogunate and other Japanese entities—including telegraphs, steam engines, locomotives, and armaments—on Shogunate Japan’s diplomacy and the subsequent US-Japan relationship. The presentation was followed by a lively discussion involving the audience.
At the seminar, Dr. Matthew Perry, a fourth-generation descendant of Commodore Matthew C. Perry of the Black Ship Expedition, gave a presentation on the impact of Commodore Perry’s diplomatic gifts to the Tokugawa Shogunate and other Japanese entities—including telegraphs, steam engines, locomotives, and armaments—on Shogunate Japan’s diplomacy and the subsequent US-Japan relationship. The presentation was followed by a lively discussion involving the audience.