開国

• Reading: かいこく
• Romaji: kaikoku
• Kanji breakdown: 開 (kai) — open; 国 (koku/kuni) — country, nation
• Pronunciation: /ka.i.ko.kɯ/

Meaning

Opening of a country; ending isolation. The act of a nation opening its borders to foreign trade and diplomacy.

A noun (also する verb) that in Japanese history refers specifically to the end of the Edo period's sakoku (isolationist) policy following Commodore Perry's arrival in 1853. In broader usage, it can apply to any nation abandoning isolationism. Its antonym is 鎖国 (sakoku, closed country). Today it is also used metaphorically to describe opening up markets, institutions, or communities.

Examples

1. 黒船来航は、幕府に開国を迫る大きな圧力となった。 The arrival of the Black Ships became major pressure urging the shogunate to open the country.
2. 開国から明治維新に至るまで、日本社会は急速に変容した。 From the opening of the country to the Meiji Restoration, Japanese society underwent rapid transformation.
3. 長年の孤立政策を転換し、その国はついに開国への道を選んだ。 Reversing its long-standing policy of isolation, the country finally chose the path of opening up.

Usage Guide

Context: history, politics, diplomacy, economics

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 開 (kai, open) and 国 (koku/kuni, country). The term became central to Japanese political vocabulary during the 1850s when the shogunate faced pressure to abandon 鎖国 after over two centuries of isolation.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo–Meiji

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal