Editing Dejima (section)

==Organization==
On the administrative level, the island of Dejima was part of the city of Nagasaki. The 25 local Japanese families who owned the land received an annual rent from the Dutch. Dejima was a small island, {{convert|120|m}} by {{convert|75|m}},<ref>Ken Vos – The article "Dejima als venster en doorgeefluik" in the catalog (Brussels, 5 October 1989 – 16 December 1989) of the exhibition Europalia 1989: "Oranda: De Nederlanden in Japan (1600–1868)"</ref> linked to the mainland by a small bridge, guarded on both sides, and with a gate on the Dutch side. It contained houses for about twenty Dutchmen, warehouses, and accommodation for Japanese officials.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}} 

The Dutch were watched by several Japanese officials, gatekeepers, night watchmen, and a {{Nihongo|supervisor|乙名|otona}} with about fifty subordinates. Numerous merchants supplied goods and catering, and about 150 {{Nihongo|interpreters|通詞|tsūji}} served. They all had to be paid by the ''VOC''. As the city of Nagasaki, Dejima was under the direct supervision of Edo through a governor (''[[Nagasaki bugyō]]'').{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

Every ship that arrived in Dejima was inspected. Its sails were held by the Japanese until they released the ship to leave. They confiscated religious books and weapons. Christian churches were banned on the island and the Dutch were not allowed to hold any religious services.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goss |first=Rob |date=May 13, 2022 |title=The Wild West Outpost of Japan's Isolationist Era |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-wild-west-outpost-of-japans-isolationist-era-180980070/ |access-date=March 24, 2024 |website=Smithsonian Magazine}}</ref>

Despite the financial burden of maintaining the isolated outpost on Dejima, the trade with Japan was very profitable for the Dutch, initially yielding profits of 50% or more. Trade declined in the 18th century, as only two ships per year were allowed to dock at Dejima. After the bankruptcy of the East-India Company in 1795, the Dutch government took over the exchange with Japan. Times were especially hard when the Netherlands, then called the [[Batavian Republic]], was under [[First French Empire|French Napoleonic rule]]. All ties with the homeland were severed at Dejima, and for a while, it was the only place in the world where the Dutch flag was flown.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

The chief VOC trading post officer in Japan was called the ''[[Opperhoofd]]'' by the Dutch, or ''Kapitan'' (from Portuguese ''capitão'') by the Japanese. This descriptive title did not change when the VOC went bankrupt and trade with Japan was continued by the Dutch Indies government at [[Batavia, Dutch East Indies|Batavia]]. According to the [[Sakoku]] rules of the [[Tokugawa shogunate]], the VOC had to transfer and replace the opperhoofd every year with a new one. And each opperhoofd was expected to travel to Edo to [[Dutch missions to Edo|offer tribute to the shogun]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}