Golovnin Incident

The Golovnin Incident involved the capture of Russian explorer and naval captain, Vasily Golovnin in 1811, by soldiers of the Japanese Shogunate in accordance of Japan's policy of isolationism (Sakoku). Golovnin was interned in Japan for two years before being released in 1813. The incident was an important flashpoint in Russo-Japanese relations over the control of the Kuril islands. Golovnin's book Memoirs of a Captivity in Japan during the Years 1811, 1812 and 1813 with observations on the country and the people, recounted his captivity, was a popular work in Europe and was translated into several languages.

In April 1811, the Russian minister of the Marine directed the sloop Diana to explore the Southern Kuril and Shantar Islands as well as the Tartary Coast. Golovnin had originally been dispatched from Kronstadt to the North-West Pacific in 1807 to chart the eastern coast of the Russian Empire.

In the 18th century Russian fur trappers had moved through Siberia towards the North-West Pacific and some had even settled in the Kurils. Prior attempts to map the islands had proved difficult due to the mists that rose from the islands as well as strong winds. The expedition would sail in the summer when conditions would be optimal and then Golovnin would continue to the Shantar Islands. The Diana left Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on April 25 through the ice-flows and set to sea from Avacha Bay on the 4th of May. Golovnin was conscientious of respecting relations between Russia and Japan as his voyage followed several diplomatic incidents with Japan such as the castaway incident of Daikokuya Kōdayū in 1784, the Adam Laxman incident of 1791 and Nikolai Rezanov's failed trade mission in 1805. Rezanov who then visited the United States was brought back to Siberia by Lieutenant Chwostoff in vessels belonging to the Russian-American Company but died when he reached Siberia in 1807. Chwostoff, however, proceeded to raid Japanese villages in Sakhalin and the Kurils without government authority. The Diana sailed to the island of Eetooroop and made contact with a group of Ainu (or Kuriles) who had been sent by the Japanese to investigate the Europeans. Golovnin proceeded to meet the Japanese military commander of the island, declaring his intention to collect wood and water and then be on his way. The commander stated that they couldn't trust the Russians due to the actions of Chwostoff, he agreed to send a letter to other commanders granting them access to supplies at the town of 'Oorbeetsch'. The Russians set sail, but were then intercepted by a 'baidare' (a sort of Kayak) with the Kuriles on board, as well as a newcomer; Alexei Maximovitsch. Alexei joined the Russians as an interpreter, though his proficiency in Russian was low. Many of these Kuriles came from Russian-controlled islands and had been punished for Chwostoff's attack on Japanese settlements, thus feared and resented the Japanese. Moreover, the Japanese had brutally crushed an Ainu rebellion in 1789.

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