TOYOTOMI HIDEYOSHI

The people of the various provinces are strictly forbidden to have in their possession any swords, short swords, bows, spears, firearms, or other types of arms.

With this plan we will conquer Korea and China as easily as a man rolls up a piece of matting and carries it under his arm.

I will assemble a mighty host, and, invading the country of the great Ming, I will fill with the hoar frost from my sword the whole sky over the four hundred provinces

The possession of unnecessary implements makes difficult the collection of taxes and dues and tends to foment uprisings.

The people of the various provinces are strictly forbidden to have in their possession any swords, bows, spears, firearms or other types of arms. The possession of these elements makes difficult the collection of taxes and dues, and tends to permit uprising.

Having learned from our faithful councilors, that foreign missionaries have come into our estates, where they preach a law contrary to that of Japan, and that they have even had the audacity to destroy temples ..: although this outrage merits the most extreme punishment, wishing nevertheless to show them mercy, we order them under pain of death to quit Japan within twenty days. During that space no harm or hurt will be done them. But at the expiration of that time, we order that, if any of them be found in our states, they shall be seized and punished as the greatest criminals. As for the Portuguese merchants, we permit them to enter our ports, there to continue their accustomed trade, and to remain in our states provided our affairs need this. But we forbid them to bring any foreign missionaries or priests into the country, under the penalty of the confiscation of their ships and goods

Having learned from our faithful councilors, that foreign missionaries have come into our estates, where they preach a law contrary to that of Japan, and that they have even had the audacity to destroy temples ..: although this outrage merits the most extreme punishment, wishing nevertheless to show them mercy, we order them under pain of death to quit Japan within twenty days. During that space no harm or hurt will be done them. But at the expiration of that time, we order that, if any of them be found in our states, they shall be seized and punished as the greatest criminals. As for the Portuguese merchants, we permit them to enter our ports, there to continue their accustomed trade, and to remain in our states provided our affairs need this. But we forbid them to bring any foreign missionaries or priests into the country, under the penalty of the confiscation of their ships and goods

With this plan we will conquer Korea and China as easily as a man rolls up a piece of matting and carries it under his arm.

The people of the various provinces are strictly forbidden to have in their possession any swords, short swords, bows, spears, firearms, or other types of arms.

I will assemble a mighty host, and, invading the country of the great Ming, I will fill with the hoar frost from my sword the whole sky over the four hundred provinces

The possession of unnecessary implements makes difficult the collection of taxes and dues and tends to foment uprisings.

The people of the various provinces are strictly forbidden to have in their possession any swords, bows, spears, firearms or other types of arms. The possession of these elements makes difficult the collection of taxes and dues, and tends to permit uprising.