Prior to the Perry Expedition, Japan was an isolationist country with limited trade and few resources. Why did the West want to open trade with Japan so aggressively? Were there any Japanese goods in high demand?
Not to dissuade other answers, you may find this thread from five years ago helpful. Paging: /u/Timmetie, /u/cjt09, /u/Assorted_Bits, /u/Jasfss, /u/VetMichael