What was the purpose of the Gentlemen's Agreement of 1907?

The Gentlemen's Agreement of 1907 was fundamentally about managing immigration between the United States and Japan. The purpose of this agreement was to limit Japanese immigration into the U.S. while simultaneously recognizing and permitting those Japanese immigrants who were already residing in America to remain. This informal arrangement arose from rising tensions between the two nations, particularly due to growing anti-Japanese sentiment and discrimination faced by Japanese immigrants in the U.S., especially in California.

The agreement was not a formal treaty; rather, it was a diplomatic understanding that aimed to appease concerns on both sides. The U.S. wanted to reduce the number of Japanese immigrants entering the country, while Japan sought to protect its nationals already living in America from being discriminated against or deported. Therefore, the Gentlemen's Agreement effectively sought to strike a balance between limiting future immigration and recognizing the rights of existing residents.