Scottish tea merchant Thomas Glover armed Japan's modernization

By the Editorial Team · Monday, July 27, 2026

Scottish merchant Thomas Glover facilitated Japan’s modernization in the late 19th century by supplying arms to revolutionaries, supporting political reform, and investing in key industries like shipbuilding and brewing. His efforts helped shift power during the Meiji Restoration and laid the groundwork for major Japanese companies such as Mitsubishi and Kirin Brewery.

Thomas Glover, a Scottish tea merchant and arms dealer, played a significant role in Japan’s rapid modernization during the late 19th century. His contributions, which spanned more than five decades, left a lasting impact on key Japanese industries such as coal mining, shipbuilding, and brewing, while also influencing the country’s political transformation.

Born in 1838 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Glover initially worked as a shipping clerk before joining the trading company Jardine Matheson in Shanghai. At the age of 21, he established himself in Nagasaki, a port city known for its cosmopolitan character despite Japan’s centuries-long policy of national isolation. During the Edo period, foreign influence had been strictly controlled under the shogunate, which ruled the country through a feudal system dominated by samurai. However, with the arrival of Western powers armed with steam-powered warships, Japan faced military and political pressure that exposed the shogunate’s technological and strategic weaknesses.

Glover’s house in Nagasaki, now preserved alongside other foreign merchants’ residences in what is known as Glover Garden, symbolizes the complex interactions between Japan and Western traders. Although Japan was never formally colonized, the potential for foreign domination was real, as seen in neighboring China’s experience during the same era.

The turning point came when a group of reform-minded samurai from the Choshu province rebelled against the Tokugawa shogunate. Backed by a commitment to restore the young Emperor Meiji to power, these samurai sought rapid modernization to protect Japan’s sovereignty. Glover was instrumental in supporting their cause. Notably, in 1863, he arranged the secret departure of the "Choshu Five," a group of young samurai who traveled to London to study at University College London, including the future prime minister Hirobumi Ito, who traveled disguised as a deckhand.

Two years later, Glover smuggled thousands of rifles from Europe to the revolutionaries, a bold operation that helped shift the balance of power during the Meiji Restoration. Beyond arms dealing, Glover invested in Japan’s industrial infrastructure, developing coal mines on nearby islands, commissioning warships for the nascent Japanese navy, establishing the country’s first dry dock, and importing machinery such as a Scottish crane that remains in use at the Nagasaki shipyard.

These enterprises contributed to the emergence of Mitsubishi, a conglomerate that became a dominant force in Japan’s economy. Glover also founded what would evolve into the Kirin Brewery, now Japan’s second-largest beer company—a legacy commemorated by the company’s mythical kirin emblem, which is said to have been inspired by Glover’s distinctive whiskers.

Historians debate whether Glover’s motivations were primarily commercial or ideological, but agree that his willingness to supply arms and assistance to multiple factions, including the shogunate at times, underscores the complex and pragmatic nature of his activities. Despite Nagasaki’s small foreign population during that period—fewer than 300 residents—the presence of merchants like Glover had a profound influence on Japan’s emergence as a modern industrial power.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.