Absolutely fascinating Metafilter post about Otokichi, or 山本 音吉 (Yamamoto Otokichi, later known as John Matthew Ottoson) which points to The Otokichi Story, a biography of a very unusual Japanese man.

Otokichi highlights & accomplishments at a glance

・ First Japanese in America (Preceded John Manjiro by 10 yrs and John [Joseph] Heco by 30 yrs)

・ First Japanese in Canada

・ Payload of Setoyaki represented first trade between U.S. and Japan

・ Inspiration for Commodore Perry (opened trade with Japan)

・ Probable inspiration for Ranald MacDonald (first American in Japan), from Astoria Oregon 1840s

・ First Japanese to gain British Citizenship

・ First trilingual in Japanese, English and Chinese

・ First Japanese in Royal British Navy

・ First Japanese Christian (Protestant Episcopalian)

・ Translated Bible of John into Japanese

・ Opened Nagasaki Port on behalf of the British Crown in 1854

It is the hopes of the authors that the individuality and sense of adventure shown by Otokichi – in the face of incredible challenges – will inspire a generation of Japanese to take their destiny into their own hands.