Ministry of Foreign Affairs Trade BureauBiblio.com
ANGLO-JAPANESE TRADEBiblio.com
Souvenir Album of the Visit to Japan October 1934 of Mission of the Federation of British Industries.
1934180258Japan: 1934. A last-ditch attempt to repair Anglo-Japanese relations A well-preserved photo album presented by the Japanese government to members of the Barnby mission. This delegation was "unofficial and supposed to deal solely with commercial issues but the Japanese government and media treated it as if it had a political purpose much to the embarrassment of the British Embassy" Cortazzi p. 141. WorldCat lists no other examples. After the invasion of Manchuria and Japan's withdrawal from the League of Nations in 1933 a pro-Japanese group in Britain centred on Neville Chamberlain attempted to repair relations between the two countries. The group was led by Colonel Lord Barnby the former president of the Federation of British Industries and staffed by representatives of the Iron and Steel Federation and the banking firm Seligman Brothers. Officially its goal was to investigate business opportunities in the new colony but as the Japanese ambassador Matsudaira Tsuneo wrote "its real aim is to promote friendly relations between Japan and Britain and between Britain and Manchukuo" Nish p. 19. The delegation was greeted by an audience with the emperor much to the horror of the British ambassador Robert Clive who suspected that their friendliness was simply a ruse to persuade the British to "accept a subordinate position in East Asia" Cortazzi p. 142. The mission caused such a stir that it was debated in parliament on 7 November 1934 where Viscount Cecil of Chelwood asked whether the Japanese government had been properly informed of its non-political nature. The first photograph shows the mission meeting with the Japanese delegation and the final photograph shows the interior of a railway car. There are also many photographs of traditional Japanese sports and performing arts as well as the scenery of famous places like Nara Hakone and Kyushu. Oblong folio. With 60 gelatin silver photographs landscape or portrait approximately 105 x 152 mm mounted recto and verso on grey card with captions in English. Original patterned brocade white thread musubi-toji binding spine ends capped with patterned brocade gilt-speckled endpapers gilt edges. Brocade fresh a little frayed at edges a few leaves sometime strengthened with tape at the gutter photographs bright with a little toning and silvering at edges: a very good example. Hugh Cortazzi British Envoys in Japan 1859-1972 2021; Ian Nish Anglo-Japanese Alienation 1919-1952: Papers of the Anglo-Japanese Conference on the History of the Second World War 1982. unknown
Peter Harrington · Royaume-Uni3 000,00 £GB≈ 3 425,40 €
