The Sakoku Edicts and the Politics of Tokugawa Hegemony By Micha ...

prompted the authorities to issue this document, as well as the various restrictions issued both before and after this particular document.

The Sakoku Edict of Kan’ei 12 (1635)⁵⁰

1. The sending of Japanese ships to foreign countries is strictly forbidden.

2. The travel of Japanese people to foreign countries is forbidden. If a person secretly travels abroad, that person will be punished with death, and the ships along with their captains [owners] must be detained while the incident is reported to the authorities.

3. Japanese who return after having crossed over to and lived in foreign countries will be punished by death.

4. You two must send someone to areas in which Christianity is to be found, and a conclusive investigation is to be made.

5. Those informing against priests will be rewarded. A high-ranking captive will receive one hundred silver pieces. For lower ranks, the award will be up to you, commensurate with that person's actions.

6. When a foreign ship resists, the matter must be reported to Edo and the ship must, as before, be guarded by ships from mura.

7. When Southern Barbarians teach the faith of Christianity or commit other crimes, they must be, as before, locked up in a prison in mura.

8. As for priests, you must order all ships to be searched.

9. The buying up of commodities of foreign ships for one place is forbidden.

10. It is strictly forbidden for any samurai to buy the merchandise of foreign ships directly from the Chinese.

11. A written enumeration of goods from foreign ships must be forwarded to Edo, as before, and goods may be sold before a reply [is received from Edo].

12. The management of the Itowappu system, whereby the price of raw, white silk from foreign ships is determined, can be undertaken by none other than the five designated cities.