"The World and Japan" Database (Project Leader: TANAKA Akihiko)
Database of Japanese Politics and International Relations
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS); Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA), The University of Tokyo

[Title] Treaty of Amity and Commerce Between United Mexican States and the Emperor of Japan

[Place]
[Date] November 30, 1888
[Source] Kyu Joyakushuisan 1kan 2bu, Gaimusho, pp375-382.
[Notes]
[Full text]

TREATY OF AMITY AND COMMERCE.

Signed at Washington, in Japanese, Spanish and English, November 30, 1888 (21st your of Meiji).

Ratified January 29, 1889 (22nd year of Meiji).

Ratifications exchanged at Washington, June 6, 1889.

Promulgated July 18, 1889.


His Majesty the Emperor of Japan and the President of the United Mexican States, being equally animated by a desire to establish upon a firm and lasting foundation relations of friendship and commerce between their respective States and subjects and citizens, have resolved to conclude a Treaty of Amity and Commerce, and have for that purpose named their respective Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: -

His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, Jushii Munemitsu Mutsu, of the Order of the Rising Sun and of the Third Class of Merit, and His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary near the Government of the United States of America; and the President of the United Mexican States, Matias Romero, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United Mexican States in Washington; who, having communicated to each other their respective Full Powers and found them in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles: -

ARTICLE I.

There shall be firm and perpetual peace and amity between the Empire of Japan and the United Mexican States, and their respective subjects and citizens.

ARTICLE II.

His Majesty the Emperor of Japan may, if He see fit, accredit a Diplomatic Agent to the Government of the United Mexican States; and in like manner, the Government of the United Mexican States may, if it thinks proper, accredit a Diplomatic Agent to the Court of Tokio; and each of the Contracting Parties shall have the right to appoint Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls and Consular Agents, for the convenience of trade, to reside in all the ports and places within the territories of the other Contracting Party, where similar Consular Officers of the most favored nation are permitted to reside; but before any Consul-General, Consul, Vice-Consul or Consular Agent shall act as such, he shall, in the usual form, be approved and admitted by the Government to which he is sent.

The Diplomatic and Consular Officers of each of the two Contracting Parties shall, subject to the stipulations of this Treaty, enjoy in the territories of the other whatever rights, privileges, exemptions, and immunities, which are, or shall be, granted there to officers of corresponding rank of the most favored nation.

ARTICLE III.

There shall be between the Territories and Possessions of the two Contracting Parties reciprocal freedom of commerce and navigation. The subjects and citizens, respectively, of each of the Contracting Parties shall have the right to come freely and securely with their ships and cargoes to all places and ports in the Territories and Possessions of the other where subjects or citizens of the most favored nation are permitted so to come; they may remain and reside at all the places or ports where subjects or citizens of the most favored nation are permitted to remain and reside, and they may there hire and occupy houses and warehouses, and may there trade by wholesale or retail in all kinds of products, manufactures and merchandise of lawful commerce.

ARTICLE IV.

His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, in consideration of the several stipulations contained in this Treaty, hereby grants to Mexican citizens resorting to Japan, apart from and in addition to the privileges extended to such citizens by the last preceding Article of this Treaty, the privilege of coming, remaining and residing in all parts of His Territories and Possessions; of there hiring and occupying houses and warehouses; of there trading by wholesale or retail in all kinds of products, manufactures

and merchandise of lawful commerce; and finally, of there engaging in and pursuing all other lawful occupations.

ARTICLE V.

The two Contracting Parties hereby agree that any favor, privilege or immunity whatever in matters relating to commerce, navigation, travel through, or residence in their Territories or Possessions which either Contracting Party has actually granted or may hereafter grant to the subjects or citizens of any other State, shall be extended to the subjects or citizens of the other Contracting Party; gratuitously, if the concession in favor of that other State shall have been gratuitous; and on the same or

equivalent conditions, if the concession shall have been conditional.

ARTICLE VI.

No other or higher duties or charges on account of tonnage, light or harbor dues, pilotage, quarantine, salvage in ease of damage, or any other local charges, shall be imposed in any of the ports of Japan on vessels of the United Mexican States, or in any of the ports of the United Mexican

States on vessels of Japan, than are or may hereafter be payable in like eases in the same ports on vessels of the most favored nation.

ARTICLE VII.

No other or higher duties shall be imposed on the importation into Japan of any article, the growth, product or manufacture of the United Mexican States; and, reciprocally, no other or higher duties shall be imposed on the importation into the United Mexican States of any article, the growth, product or manufacture of Japan, than are, or shall be, payable on the importation of the like article being the growth, product or manufacture of any other foreign country.

Nor shall any other or higher duties or charges be imposed in the Territories or Possessions of either of the two Contracting Parties on the exportation of any article to the Territories or Possessions of the other than such as are, or may be, payable on the exportation of the like article to any other foreign country. No prohibition shall be imposed on the importation of any article, the growth, product or manufacture of the Territories of either of the Contracting Parties into the Territories or Possessions of the other, which shall not equally extend to the like article being the growth, product or manufacture of any other country. Nor shall any prohibition be imposed on the exportation of any article from the Territories of either of the Contracting Parties to the Territories or Possessions of the other, which shall not equally extend to the exportation of the like article to the territories of all other nations.

ARTICLE VIII.

Citizens of the United Mexican States, as well as Mexican vessels resorting to Japan, or to the territorial waters thereof, shall, so long as they there remain, be subject to the laws of Japan and to the jurisdiction of His Imperial Majesty's Courts; and, in the same manner, His Imperial Majesty's subjects and Japanese vessels resorting to Mexico and to the territorial waters of Mexico shall be subject to the laws and jurisdiction of Mexico.

ARTICLE IX.

The present Treaty shall go into operation immediately after the exchange of ratifications, and shall continue in force until the expiration of six months after either of the Contracting Parties shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the same, and no longer.

ARTICLE X.

The present Treaty shall be signed in duplicate in each of the Japanese, Spanish and English languages, and in case there should be found any discrepancy between the Japanese and Spanish texts, it will be decided in conformity with the English text, which is binding upon both Governments.

ARTICLE XI.

The present Treaty shall be ratified by the two Contracting Parties, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington as soon as possible.

In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this Treaty, and hereunto affixed their respective seals.

Done in sextuplicate at Washington this thirtieth day of the eleventh month of the twenty-first year of Meiji, corresponding to the 30th day of November of the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight.

[L.S.] (Signed) MUNEMITSU MUTSU.

[LS.] (Signed) M. ROMERO.