Robert Walker Irwin

Robert Walker Irwin (January 4, 1844 – January 5, 1925) was an American businessman and the Kingdom of Hawaii's Minister to Japan. Irwin's most significant accomplishment as Hawaii's top representative to Japan was the 1886 immigration treaty between the two nations that led to significant migration of Japanese nationals to Hawaii.

Irwin was born in Copenhagen to former Pennsylvania politician and United States Chargé d'affaires to Denmark William W. Irwin. His father had previously served as the Mayor of Pittsburgh, (1840-1841), and had served as a Whig member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

His mother, Sophia Arabella Bache, was the daughter of Richard Bache Jr. and Sophia Burrell Dallas. She was also the granddaughter of Sarah Franklin Bache and Richard Bache, and a great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin, as well as a niece of George Mifflin Dallas, the 11th Vice President of the United States, serving under James K. Polk.

In 1866, at the age of 22, Robert Irwin arrived in Japan to head the Yokohama office of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. In 1867 the company launched the first regular trans-Pacific steamship service fulfilling a contract with the United States government to provide monthly mail service between San Francisco and Hong Kong via Yokohama.

By the 1870s, Hawaii had suffered significant population declines due to the introduction of diseases to which Hawaiian natives had no immunity.

In 1880 Irwin took a position as Kingdom of Hawai'i's Consul-General in Japan. In March 1881 Hawaii's King Kalakaua visited Japan during which he discussed with Emperor Meiji Hawaii's desire to encourage Japanese nationals to settle in Hawaii. At that time King Kalakaua appointed Irwin the Hawaiian Minister to Japan.

...
Wikipedia