The Treaty of Kanagawa was signed on March 31, 1854, between the United States and Japan. This agreement marked the end of Japan's 220-year policy of national seclusion, known as sakoku. It allowed American ships to access Japanese ports for supplies and established a framework for trade between the two nations. The treaty was negotiated by Commodore Matthew Perry, who led a naval expedition to Japan. His efforts were instrumental in opening Japan to the West, leading to further treaties with other countries and significant changes in Japanese society and politics during the Meiji Restoration.