From 1641 onwards, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) held exclusive trading rights with Japan. A staff of some 12 to 15 men was based at Deshima, a small artificial island in Nagasaki harbour. The Dutch Chief or "Opperhoofd" was required to make an annual journey to the court of the shogun in Edo (present-day Tokyo). He bore tribute and provided shogun with information on such topics as the progress of Western sciences and the state of the world.
