1.
opening of a country
The act of ending a national policy of isolation and opening diplomatic and trade relations with foreign countries. Most commonly refers to Japan's opening in the 1850s after the arrival of Commodore Perry.
日本は幕末に開国した。
Japan opened its doors at the end of the Edo period.
ペリーの来航が開国のきっかけとなった。
Perry's arrival became the catalyst for the opening of the country.
開国によって西洋の文化や技術が一気に流入した。
The opening of the country brought a flood of Western culture and technology.
Almost always used in the context of Japanese history, specifically the end of the 鎖国 (national isolation) policy in the 1850s. The opposite is 鎖国 (closing the country).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 開国する (to open the country)
- 開国を迫る (to demand the opening of a country)
- 開国を求める (to seek the opening of a country)
HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
The debate between 開国派 (pro-opening faction) and 攘夷派 (expel-the-foreigners faction) defined late Edo politics. 開国 is now used more broadly to describe any country ending isolation.