In our timeline the English East India Company had a trade factory in Japan from 1613 but thanks to several mistakes such as choice of location, goods they took to trade, and others things, it wasn't a great success and they closed it down in 1623. Not long afterwards the Japanese instituted their Sakoku policy which closed the country to outsiders except for limited trade contacts at Nagasaki with the Dutch Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, the Chinese trade, and the Korean trade via the Tsushima-Fuchu domain so that it became a moot issue. I've been considering the idea however of some English noble getting the ear of James I and being granted a royal charter to create the Japan Company to trade with Japan when the East India Company closes up shop and through some good diplomacy either displaces the Dutch or are allowed to stay alongside them at the factory at Dejima after the Sakoku policy is implemented.
This of course will only work if the Company can make enough money to at least cover their operating costs which raises two questions. Knowing very little about the Japanese economy of the period after they close off would there be domestically produced goods that could be exported to England at a decent profit? Semi-linked to this is the island of Run and the spice trade and the idea of England managing to hold it, knowing even less about Japanese cuisine would they have been interested in spices like nutmeg and mace? Thanks.
This of course will only work if the Company can make enough money to at least cover their operating costs which raises two questions. Knowing very little about the Japanese economy of the period after they close off would there be domestically produced goods that could be exported to England at a decent profit? Semi-linked to this is the island of Run and the spice trade and the idea of England managing to hold it, knowing even less about Japanese cuisine would they have been interested in spices like nutmeg and mace? Thanks.