Final answer:
The Unequal Treaties in Japan were agreements imposed by Western powers, beginning with the Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854 and including terms that disadvantaged Japan, such as low trade duties and extraterritoriality. The discontent these treaties provoked contributed to the Meiji Restoration, after which Japan successfully renegotiated these treaties.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Unequal Treaties in Japan refer to a series of agreements that Japan was forced into during the mid-19th century by Western powers. The first of these was the Treaty of Kanagawa, signed in 1854 with the United States, which opened two Japanese ports to American ships and established a U.S. consulate in Japan. Following this precedent, several European nations signed similar treaties with Japan, which often included terms of extraterritoriality, setting low import and export duties, and allowing freedom of religion in foreign settlements.
These treaties were a source of profound discontent among the Japanese, particularly the samurai in the south. The samurai-led territories of Satsuma and Choshu formed an alliance to oppose the shogun's adherence to the treaties, culminating in military action in 1868 that contributed to the Meiji Restoration. The new Meiji government later worked to renegotiate these treaties, achieving success in 1894.
Japan's interaction with Western powers continued to be marked by such imbalances, even at international events like the Treaty of Versailles and the Washington Naval Conference, where Japan's calls for racial equality were dismissed. This treatment was reflective of the era's pervasive racism and Western perceptions of Japan and other non-Western nations.