Japan had unequal treaties, known as the Ansei Five-Power Treaties, that were imposed by the United States (the Treaty of Peace and Amity between the United States of America and the Empire of Japan and the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and Japan), the Netherlands (the Dutch-Japan Treaty of Peace and Amity), Russia (the Treaty between the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan), Great Britain (the Anglo-Japanese Friendship Treaty and the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce) and France (the Treaty of Peace and Amity between France and Japan), and had another one with Yi Dynasty Korea (the Treaty of Ganghwa, imposed by Japan) while the Japan-Qing Treaty of Friendship was the only equal treaty that Japan had at the time.
当時は安政の五カ国条約として、アメリカ合衆国（日米和親条約、日米修好通商条約）、オランダ（日蘭和親条約）、ロシア（日露和親条約）、イギリス（日英和親条約、日英修好通商条約）、フランス（日仏和親条約）と不平等条約を、李氏朝鮮とは逆不平等条約（日朝修好条規、日本が有利）を結んでおり、平等条約は清と結んでいる日清修好条規のみだった。