This is the second part of the complete reprint of Japan Illustrated 1934-1938, the most important photographic yearbook of Japan in the pre-WW2 period. With the advice of Kentaro Kaneko, statesman and diplomat, and Miles Walter Vaughn, an influential American journalist in Japan, it was launched by Nippon Dempo News Agency (now called Dentsu), the leading press and advertisement agency, and played an important role to promote Japan and improve the cultural image of the country which was being criticised by Western society for military aggression.
Each yearbook, which includes many photos and plate sections, describes current affairs and holds the latest trade data. There is a ‘General Guide for Foreign Travellers’, which includes detailed information of famous tourist places to visit and the regions of Japan, and introduces local culture and seasonal events. There are also chapters about the Japanese colonies like South Sea Islands, Taiwan, Chosen, Karafuto, and Manchu. Each yearly volume carries advertisements of more than 200 companies from where some hard-to-find data of Japanese business activities of the time can be obtained. Although the yearbook lasted only a few years, it covered one of the most interesting period of Japanese modern history, and its complete reprint will provide scholars and students of the subject with valuable source both textually and visually.
PART I: A Year Book of Japan
Chapter I: The Imperial Court of Japan
Chapter II: Geography and Climate
Chapter III: Population
Chapter IV: Government
Chapter V: Principal Domestic Events 1937-38 (70th Imperial Diet, General Ugaki Fails to Form Cabinet, Hayashi Cabinet, 70the Diet Reopened, Diet Dissolution, General Election, Formation of the Konoye Cabinet, Planning Board, Konoye’s View Regarding Reform of the Upper House, North China Incident, 71st Diet, Shanghai Incident, … etc.)
Chapter VI: The Army (Army organization, Present Service System, General Mobilization, Army Estimates for 1936-37,Army Division, Protection of Military Secrets)
Chapter VII: The Imperial Navy（Japan’s Basic Policy of Naval Limitation by Rear-Admiral Kiyoshi Noda, Activities of the Imperial Navy in the Chinese Affair by Commander Kiyoshi Mizuno, Warships, … etc.）
Chapter VIII: Chronological Account of Sino-Japanese Hostilities（Imperial Headquarters Set Up, Naval and Air Casualties of the China Incident… etc.）
Chapter IX: Foreign Affairs (Foreign Minister’s Speech, Why Japan Lost Patience by Suemasa Okamoto…)
Chapter X: The Press (Characteristics, Number of Dailies, New Agencies, Press Associations, Nippon Dempo Tsushinsha…)
Chapter XI: Communications (Inland Communications, International Communications, International Radio-telephone Service,…)
Chapter XII: Education（Elementary education, Secondary education, Other Institutions, … ）
Chapter XIII: Religion（Shintoism, Buddhism, Christianity, … etc.)
Chapter XIV: Cultural and Social Activities (Kokusai Bunka Shokai, Aiikukai Foundation, National Federation of Co-operative Farm Produce Marketing Societies… )
Chapter XVI: Economic Affairs (War-time Structure, Foreign Trade, Restrictive Measures, Emergency Export and Import Law, Trade Pacts, Industry, Nissan to Control Heavy Industries of Manchoukuo Shipping, Fabric Industry, Romance of Silk by Yoshikazu Hirai, Revision of the Exchange Law by Hidezo Kamiyama…)
Appendices (The Constitution, The Imperial House Law, Diplomatic Representatives in Tokyo)
PART II: General Guide for Foreign Travellers
Chapter I: Kwanto and Tohoku (City of Tokyo, Hakurakuso, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Japan Grand International Exposition, City of Yokohama, Chiba Prefecture, City of Kawaguchi, City of Takasaki, Tochigi Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, Aomori Prefecture…)
Chapter II: Chubu Region (City of Nagoya, City of Shizuoka, City of Gifu, City of Nagano, City of Matsumoto, Yamanashi Prefecture, Niiagata Prefecture, Nippon Kai Denki K. K., Textile Model Factory, City of Toyama, City of Kanazawa. City of Fukui… )
Chapter III: Kinki Region (City of Osaka, City of Otsu, City of Kyoto, How to Arrange Flower, Dai Nippon Butokukai, Nara Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture, City of Kobe)
Chapter IV: Chugoku Region (Okayama Prefecture, City of Hiroshima, City of Shimonoseki, City of Matsue, Tottori Prefecture…)
Chapter V: Shikoku Region (Tokushima Prefecture, Kagawa Prefecture, Ehime Prefecture, Kochi Prefecture…)
Chapter VI: Kyushu Region (Fukuoka Prefecture, City of Nagasaki, City of Kumamoto, City of Beppu, City of Miyazaki, City of Nobeoka, City of Kagoshima…)
Chapter VII: Overseas Possession（Chosen – Tourist Attaractions, Mr. Ri Sho Man’s Enterprises, Taiwan, Karafuto, Kwantung Province – Dairen Kisen Kaisha Ltd., South Sea Islands）
Supplement on Manchoukuo
Chapter I: Introduction / Chapter II: Government / Chapter III: Education / Chapter IV: Sanitation and Public Health / Chapter V: General Economic Conditions / Appendicies.
Index to Advertisers
Biography
Professor Reiko Tsuchiya is based at the School of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University, Japan
