Foreigner in the service of a foreigner, Florrijerardt, honorary consul general, an ambiguous position, late Edo period to early Meiji period.

Foreigner in the service of a foreigner, Florrijerardt, honorary consul general, an ambiguous position, late Edo period to early Meiji period.

Floriherald's title of honorary consul general was a clear indication of the immaturity of the diplomatic system at the end of the Edo period. This title was not an official position with clearly defined authority and duties, as is the case today, but rather a very practical and convenient title that was given flexibly as needed.

At the end of the Edo period, Japan had joined the international community by concluding treaties, but had not yet fully developed a modern foreign affairs bureaucracy or a network of diplomatic missions abroad. There was no system in place to dispatch permanent diplomats to European countries and manage diplomacy under a unified government system, and much depended on the ability and trust of individuals who were familiar with local conditions. Therefore, situational titles were given to persons who were not officially diplomats, but who could act on behalf of Japan's interests.

Florrijerardt was exactly what was called for. He was deeply rooted in French society, had extensive contacts in the government, business, and financial worlds, and was in a position to handle Japanese intentions on the ground in a practical manner. However, there was no official system or legal framework in place to appoint him as a regular diplomat. The title of "Honorary Consul General," which intentionally made the scope of his authority and responsibility ambiguous, was used.

This ambiguity was both an institutional flaw and a pragmatic response for Japan at the time. By not tying him down as a formal official position, it was possible to have one person flexibly assume multiple roles, such as diplomacy, commerce, financial management, and intelligence gathering. In fact, Florriherald was not only a diplomatic intermediary, but also carried out practical tasks that went beyond consular duties, such as managing the royal treasure and negotiating contracts.

The title of honorary consul general symbolizes a transitional existence before the completion of the modern diplomatic system. Because the institutions of the state were underdeveloped, personal competence and trust substituted for the system itself. The hired foreigner Florriherald was a figure who supported Japanese diplomacy in an ambiguous position rather than in a definite official position, and his very existence quietly testifies to the reality that Japan at the end of the Edo period and the beginning of the Meiji era needed practical affairs before institutional ones.