Red Seal ship incident

In 1608, a red seal ship belonging to the Hinoe daimyō Arima Harunobu anchored in Macau after returning from Cambodia, where it had acquired a cargo of agarwood.^[3] The ship intended to winter in Macau until the 1609 monsoon season. During this time, the Japanese crew, consisting of 30-40 members, displayed rowdy behavior as they roamed the town. Their actions alarmed the Chinese inhabitants, prompting them to urge the Senate of Macau to take measures against the Japanese. However, the Senate merely advised the Japanese to moderate their behavior and to disguise themselves as Chinese, advice that was ignored.^[4]

As the Japanese crew continued their unruly behavior, tensions escalated. The Portuguese authorities, concerned that the Japanese might attempt to seize control of Macau, decided to take a firmer stance.^[3] This culminated in a serious brawl on November 30, 1608, during which the Portuguese magistrate, known as the ouvidor, was injured, and several of his retainers were killed. Alarmed by the situation, Captain-major André Pessoa responded with armed reinforcements, forcing the Japanese to take refuge in nearby houses.^[1]

In the wake of the brawl, the Portuguese surrounded the houses where the Japanese had taken refuge. Pessoa offered quarter to those who would surrender, but 27 of the Japanese in the first house refused, leading to their deaths when they were forced out under fire. Meanwhile, the Japanese in a second house, numbering around 50, surrendered after Jesuits intervened, promising them life and freedom. However, Pessoa subsequently had the suspected ringleaders executed while allowing the others to leave Macau after they signed an affidavit absolving the Portuguese of any blame.^[1]

The incident sparked outrage among the Japanese, particularly as it involved significant loss of life. Estimates of the Japanese casualties vary, with reports indicating between 27^[1] and 60^[2] were killed during the conflict. Following these events, the relationship between the Portuguese and the Japanese authorities became increasingly strained.

On May 10, 1609, the Portuguese carrack, known as either Nossa Senhora da Graça or Madre de Deus, departed Macau, carrying a rich cargo intended for the Japanese market. Captain André Pessoa, fearing Dutch piracy due to previous conflicts, accelerated the ship's departure.^[5][6] On June 29, 1609, he landed in Nagasaki, only to face the repercussions of the earlier incident.^[7]

The Japanese authorities, notably Arima Harunobu, who was informed of the incident by Japanese survivors, were incensed over the deaths of their compatriots, leading to an investigation into the conflict.^[8] Reports reached Tokugawa Ieyasu that painted Pessoa's actions as “the blackest of colors”, however, Ieyasu was hesitant to take drastic action, as it would result in the loss of the silk trade.^[9]

• Japanese-Portuguese conflicts
• Nossa Senhora da Graça incident

• Boxer, C. R. (1951). The Christian Century in Japan: 1549–1650. University of California Press. GGKEY:BPN6N93KBJ7.
• Boxer, C. R. (1979) [1st. pub. 1929]. "The affair of the Madre de Deus". In Moscato, Michael (ed.). Papers on Portuguese, Dutch, and Jesuit Influences in 16th- and 17th-Century Japan: Writings of Charles Ralph Boxer. Washington, D.C.: University Publications of America. pp. 4–94. ISBN 0890932557.