The American "Black Ships" that arrived in Tokyo Bay in 1853 put an end to Japan's more than 200 years of self-imposed isolation and set in motion the events that would lead to the Meiji Restoration.
Although the ships threatened the survival of Japan as a nation, they also stimulated the country to undertake reform and open up to the rest of the world. The Black Ships represented the ultimate form of foreign pressure by prompting a realization that Japan would not be able to sustain its growth or maintain its independence if it refused to learn from other countries and undertake reforms on its own.
Now, nearly 170 years later, another fleet of "black ships" is rushing toward Japan. This time the ships are coming from Asia.
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