(Again my views only.) I think it was a direct reaction to the aggression of 1853. It was preceded by posturing&#x2F;maneuvering in the South Pacific if I&#x27;m not mistaken. To be clear, I don&#x27;t think it was justified or proportionate, but I do think those events were closely linked in that Japan saw Americans as encroaching on their sovereignty and an imminent threat from the &quot;East&quot;.