A narrative of the pioneer opening of Japan by Russia under Vice-Admiral Evfimii Vasil'evich Putiatin, which preceded Perry's mission in 1854, is given on the basis of diaries, reports and letters in Japanese, Chinese and Russian, as well as additional material in German and French.

A narrative of the pioneer opening of Japan by Russia under Vice-Admiral Evfimii Vasil'evich Putiatin, which preceded Perry's mission in 1854, is given on the basis of diaries, reports and letters in Japanese, Chinese and Russian, as well as additional material in German and French.