Robert Walker Irwin
Encyclopedia
Robert Walker Irwin was an American businessman and the Kingdom of Hawaii
's Minister to Japan. Irwin's most significant accomplishment as Hawaii's top representative to Japan was the 1886 immigration treaty between the two nations that led to significant migration of Japanese nationals to Hawaii.
. His father had previously served as the Mayor of Pittsburgh, (1840-1841), and had served as a Whig
member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
.
His mother, Sophia Arabella Bache, was the daughter of Richard Bache Jr.
and Sophia Burrell Dallas. She was also the granddaughter of Sarah Franklin Bache
and Richard Bache
, and more notably she was a great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin
as well as a niece of George Mifflin Dallas the 11th Vice President of the United States
, serving under James K. Polk
.
In 1866, at the age of 22, Robert Irwin arrived in Japan to head the Yokohama office of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company
. In 1867 the company launched the first regular trans-Pacific steamship service fulfilling a contract with the United States government to provide monthly mail service between San Francisco and Hong Kong via Yokohama.
In 1880 Irwin took a position as Kingdom of Hawai'i's Consul-General in Japan. In March 1881 Hawaii's King Kalakaua
visited Japan during which he discussed with Emperor Meiji
Hawaii's desire to encourage Japanese nationals to settle in Hawaii. At that time King Kalakaua appointed Irwin the Hawaiin Minister to Japan.
Irwin arranged for and accompanied the first 943 government-sponsored, Kanyaku Imin, Japanese immigrants to Hawaii who arrived in Honolulu aboard the Pacific Mail Steamship Company
City of Tokio on February 8, 1885. After returning to Japan, Irwin received government approval for a second set of 930 immigrants who arrived in Hawaii on June 17, 1885.
With the Japanese government satisfied with treatment of the immigrants, Irwin was able to conclude a formal immigration treaty between Hawaii and Japan on January 28, 1886. The treaty stipulated that the Hawaii government would be held responsible for employers' treatment of Japanese immigrants.
The Kanyaku Imin immigration system that Irwin negotiated concluded in June 1894 with 29,339 Japanese nationals having immigrated to Hawaii. This government-sponsored immigration was quickly replaced with private immigration.
In 1900, Hawaii's population had reached approximately 154,000 with Japanese immigrants and their descendants representing over 61,000 of that total.
in 1872. He also became good friends with Japanese Count Inoue Kaoru
, who had toured the United States with Irwin in 1876 and became a major force for modernization within Japan.
Inoue and Masuda founded the trading company Mitsui Bussan in 1876 with Irwin as an employee at founding. Mitsui Bussan had grown out of earlier trading enterprises of Inoue's that Irwin had helped the Count start in 1873.
In 1900 Irwin and Masuda Takashi together founded Taiwan Sugar Company. Taiwan Sugar Company and Mitsui Bussan were later folded into the Mitsui zaibatsu as Masuda began the transformation of Mitsui into one of Japan's four zaibatsu
. Irwin stayed on as an adviser at Taiwan Sugar Company until 1916.
Irwin had six children. The eldest, Bella, founded the Irwin Gakuen School in Tokyo
.
In 1891 Irwin purchased a summer home in Ikaho. That residence is a designated Historic Place and is open to the public as a small museum to the Irwin family and Japanese immigration to Hawaii.
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
's Minister to Japan. Irwin's most significant accomplishment as Hawaii's top representative to Japan was the 1886 immigration treaty between the two nations that led to significant migration of Japanese nationals to Hawaii.
Early life
Irwin was born in Copenhagen to former Pennsylvania politician and United States Chargé d'affaires to Denmark William W. IrwinWilliam W. Irwin
William Wallace Irwin was Mayor of Pittsburgh and a Whig member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Early life:...
. His father had previously served as the Mayor of Pittsburgh, (1840-1841), and had served as a Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
His mother, Sophia Arabella Bache, was the daughter of Richard Bache Jr.
Richard Bache Jr. (Texas politician)
Richard Bache, Jr. , was a Representative to the Second Texas Legislature in 1847 and assisted in drawing up the Texas Constitution of 1845, the first of Texas' five state constitutions.-Early life and ancestors:...
and Sophia Burrell Dallas. She was also the granddaughter of Sarah Franklin Bache
Sarah Franklin Bache
Sarah Franklin “Sally” Bache was the daughter of Benjamin Franklin and Deborah Read.Known as "Sally" throughout her life, she was an ardent American patriot during the Revolutionary War through relief work and as her father's political hostess...
and Richard Bache
Richard Bache
Richard Bache , born in Yorkshire, England, was the son-in-law of Benjamin Franklin. After arriving in Philadelphia from Yorkshire, England, in 1761, Bache prospered as a marine insurance underwriter and importer. In 1767, misfortune struck; debts contracted by him were repudiated by his London...
, and more notably she was a great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
as well as a niece of George Mifflin Dallas the 11th Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
, serving under James K. Polk
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
.
In 1866, at the age of 22, Robert Irwin arrived in Japan to head the Yokohama office of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company
Pacific Mail Steamship Company
The Pacific Mail Steamship Company was founded April 18, 1848 as a joint stock company under the laws of the State of New York by a group of New York City merchants, William H. Aspinwall, Edwin Bartlett, Henry Chauncey, Mr. Alsop, G.G. Howland and S.S. Howland...
. In 1867 the company launched the first regular trans-Pacific steamship service fulfilling a contract with the United States government to provide monthly mail service between San Francisco and Hong Kong via Yokohama.
Kanyaku Imin Immigration
By the 1870s, Hawaii had suffered significant population declines due to the introduction of diseases to which Hawaiian natives had no immunity.In 1880 Irwin took a position as Kingdom of Hawai'i's Consul-General in Japan. In March 1881 Hawaii's King Kalakaua
Kalakaua
Kalākaua, born David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch , was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii...
visited Japan during which he discussed with Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
Hawaii's desire to encourage Japanese nationals to settle in Hawaii. At that time King Kalakaua appointed Irwin the Hawaiin Minister to Japan.
Irwin arranged for and accompanied the first 943 government-sponsored, Kanyaku Imin, Japanese immigrants to Hawaii who arrived in Honolulu aboard the Pacific Mail Steamship Company
Pacific Mail Steamship Company
The Pacific Mail Steamship Company was founded April 18, 1848 as a joint stock company under the laws of the State of New York by a group of New York City merchants, William H. Aspinwall, Edwin Bartlett, Henry Chauncey, Mr. Alsop, G.G. Howland and S.S. Howland...
City of Tokio on February 8, 1885. After returning to Japan, Irwin received government approval for a second set of 930 immigrants who arrived in Hawaii on June 17, 1885.
With the Japanese government satisfied with treatment of the immigrants, Irwin was able to conclude a formal immigration treaty between Hawaii and Japan on January 28, 1886. The treaty stipulated that the Hawaii government would be held responsible for employers' treatment of Japanese immigrants.
The Kanyaku Imin immigration system that Irwin negotiated concluded in June 1894 with 29,339 Japanese nationals having immigrated to Hawaii. This government-sponsored immigration was quickly replaced with private immigration.
In 1900, Hawaii's population had reached approximately 154,000 with Japanese immigrants and their descendants representing over 61,000 of that total.
Involvement with Mitsui Zaibatsu
Irwin cultivated a number of business and government contacts in Japan becoming acquainted with Japanese Finance Minister Masuda TakashiMasuda Takashi
Baron , was an entrepreneur in Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa period Japan, responsible for transforming Mitsui into a zaibatsu through the creation of a general trading company, Mitsui Bussan. He also established a newspaper, the , which was later renamed the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.- Biography...
in 1872. He also became good friends with Japanese Count Inoue Kaoru
Inoue Kaoru
Count , GCMG was a member of the Meiji oligarchy during the Meiji period Empire of Japan. As one of the senior statesman in Japan during that period, he had a tremendous influence on the selection of the nation's leaders and formation of its policies.-Early years:...
, who had toured the United States with Irwin in 1876 and became a major force for modernization within Japan.
Inoue and Masuda founded the trading company Mitsui Bussan in 1876 with Irwin as an employee at founding. Mitsui Bussan had grown out of earlier trading enterprises of Inoue's that Irwin had helped the Count start in 1873.
In 1900 Irwin and Masuda Takashi together founded Taiwan Sugar Company. Taiwan Sugar Company and Mitsui Bussan were later folded into the Mitsui zaibatsu as Masuda began the transformation of Mitsui into one of Japan's four zaibatsu
Zaibatsu
is a Japanese term referring to industrial and financial business conglomerates in the Empire of Japan, whose influence and size allowed for control over significant parts of the Japanese economy from the Meiji period until the end of World War II.-Terminology:...
. Irwin stayed on as an adviser at Taiwan Sugar Company until 1916.
Family
Irwin was married to Takechi Iki on March 15, 1882. This was the first legal marriage between an American and Japanese citizen and was arranged by Inoue Kaoru, then the Japanese Foreign Minister.Irwin had six children. The eldest, Bella, founded the Irwin Gakuen School in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
In 1891 Irwin purchased a summer home in Ikaho. That residence is a designated Historic Place and is open to the public as a small museum to the Irwin family and Japanese immigration to Hawaii.
External links
- Robert Walker Irwin at photoguide.jp
- Japan America Society of Philadelphia
- Irwin Gakuen School