The treaty was unequal, granting consular jurisdiction and tariff autonomy to the US, and imposing on Japan a necessity to provide most favored nation status to the US; moreover, similar treaties were concluded with Britain, France, the Netherland, and Russia; eventually those treaties were called the Ansei treaties with five nations.
領事裁判権を認め、関税自主権を喪失し、かつ片務的最恵国待遇を課した拙速な不平等条約であり、同様な条約がイギリス・フランス・オランダ・ロシアとも結ばれた（安政五ヶ国条約）。