From 1641 onwards, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) held
exclusive trading rights with Japan. A staff of some 12 to 15 men was based at
Deshima, a small artificial island in Nagasaki harbour. The Dutch Chief or
"Opperhoofd" was required to make an annual journey to the court of the shogun
in Edo (present-day Tokyo). He bore tribute and provided shogun with
information on such topics as the progress of Western sciences and the state of
the world.