, United States (USA) (American Colonies)
1908 - February 18 – Japanese emigration to the United States is forbidden under terms of the Gentlemen's Agreement of 1907.

The Gentlemen's Agreement of 1907 was an informal agreement between the United States and the Empire of Japan, reached after the implementation of the Immigration Act of 1907 in the United States. The Act had led to a significant reduction in Japanese immigration to the U.S., causing diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

To resolve the issue, President Theodore Roosevelt, in collaboration with the Japanese government, negotiated the Gentlemen's Agreement. Under this agreement, Japan agreed to voluntarily restrict the emigration of its laborers to the United States. In return, the U.S. would not impose formal restrictions on Japanese immigration and would address discriminatory treatment of Japanese immigrants already in the country, particularly in California.

One of the key provisions of the Gentlemen's Agreement was the prohibition of issuing passports to Japanese laborers seeking to enter the United States. This effectively halted the immigration of Japanese laborers to the U.S., as most immigrants required passports to travel.

While the Gentlemen's Agreement did not completely stop Japanese immigration, it significantly reduced the number of Japanese laborers entering the United States. The agreement remained in effect until 1924, when the U.S. Congress passed the Immigration Act of 1924, which imposed strict quotas on immigration from various countries, effectively ending the era of unrestricted immigration to the United States.

February 18, 1908

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