At the start of the 20th century, the US-Japanese relationship had reached a new stage with Japan as an emerging power in the Pacific. In order to ease the tension between the two countries, a delegation of U.S. businessmen from along the Pacific coast visited Japan in 1908. Shibusawa Eiichi /Japanese business magnate widely known today as the "Father of Japanese capitalism"/ was a central figure in receiving this group and headed the reciprocal visit by the Japanese business delegation the following year.
The business mission’s purpose was threefold: 1) to deepen understanding of American entrepreneurship and philanthropy; 2) to explore ways of improving US-Japan relations and partnership between the two countries in tackling global issues, and 3) to cultivate young Japanese business leaders and to encourage them to establish networks with their American counterparts through dialogue with distinguished American political, business and societal leaders.
Shibusawa Eiichi led the first large-scale business mission to the United States in 1909 at a time of tense US-Japan relations. The mission included more than 50 of Japan’s most prominent business leaders and notables. They sailed to Seattle on the American ship the Minnesota. After landing on September 1 they traveled from coast to coast and visited various U.S. cities, receiving a warm welcome wherever they went.
The mission made news across the U.S. as it traveled to 53 cities over the course of three months. They traveled in the specially outfitted “Million Dollar Train” that had been provided by the American industrial community. The mission visited chambers of commerce, factories, power plants, fire departments, port facilities, mines, farms, schools, universities, libraries, theaters, churches, hospitals, and many other facilities and sites. Along the way they met with many distinguished American leaders such as President William Howard Taft, Thomas Alva Edison of General Electric, and James Jerome Hill of Great Northern Railway. Through receptions and parties in big venues and private homes, they gained first-hand knowledge of American life.
When they left San Francisco for Japan on November 30, they carried with them fresh information on a wide range of industries in the cities and regions they had visited. This newly gained knowledge of contemporary industrial America was published in a thick report upon their return to Japan.
The business mission’s purpose was threefold: 1) to deepen understanding of American entrepreneurship and philanthropy; 2) to explore ways of improving US-Japan relations and partnership between the two countries in tackling global issues, and 3) to cultivate young Japanese business leaders and to encourage them to establish networks with their American counterparts through dialogue with distinguished American political, business and societal leaders.
Shibusawa Eiichi led the first large-scale business mission to the United States in 1909 at a time of tense US-Japan relations. The mission included more than 50 of Japan’s most prominent business leaders and notables. They sailed to Seattle on the American ship the Minnesota. After landing on September 1 they traveled from coast to coast and visited various U.S. cities, receiving a warm welcome wherever they went.
The mission made news across the U.S. as it traveled to 53 cities over the course of three months. They traveled in the specially outfitted “Million Dollar Train” that had been provided by the American industrial community. The mission visited chambers of commerce, factories, power plants, fire departments, port facilities, mines, farms, schools, universities, libraries, theaters, churches, hospitals, and many other facilities and sites. Along the way they met with many distinguished American leaders such as President William Howard Taft, Thomas Alva Edison of General Electric, and James Jerome Hill of Great Northern Railway. Through receptions and parties in big venues and private homes, they gained first-hand knowledge of American life.
When they left San Francisco for Japan on November 30, they carried with them fresh information on a wide range of industries in the cities and regions they had visited. This newly gained knowledge of contemporary industrial America was published in a thick report upon their return to Japan.
1st variation /made by Mitsukoshi/.
Marked 越 for 三越 - Mitsukoshi.