The Chronicles of Tokyo Asahi Newspaper, Volume No. 22 – 1910: 東京朝日編年史　巻2_2_　-_明治四十三年-_ Tokyo Asahi Shinbun Hennenshi 22Kan-Meiji43nen (Showa 30nen 6gatsu Shanaiyou)

Tokyo: Asahi Newspaper Publisher, August 1910 - November 1910. Documents assembled in 1955. 24.2cm. Printed soft covers with black cloth tape spine and paper label; frontispiece full-page sepia toned photograph of the "Kainan Maru" + 16pp table of contents, 300pp text, 9pp. tipped in corrigenda. Title label on spine; text in Japanese. Housed in a custom fold-out container covered in red silk with printed spine and cover labels. Very Rare and in Near Fine condition. Ross 5.3.A

A publication containing private internal documents and bound by the Asahi Newspaper, Tokyo. Marked (in Kanji) 'For Internal Use Only' and 'Not For Sale'. Tokyo Asahi Newspaper was a major sponsor of the Japanese Antarctic Expedition 1910-1912, so very likely few were produced as these were most likely meant to be used internally among the higher-ups at Asahi. The signifi­cance of this publication is the unique information provided by one of the primary sponsors of the Japanese Antarctic Expedition. The Content's titles indicate numerous issues related to problems that existed leading up to the JAE's day of departure. There are 16 sections including 43 parts listed in the Table of Contents and each is dated beginning August 1910 and end­ing November 1910 -- these are the last four months leading up to the day of departure of the Japanese Antarctic Expedition in late November (28), 1910. Most articles appear to focus into issues and problems related to funding and the procurement of the expedition's ship. It appears the ship to be used was not fully decided upon until the very latter parts of preparation leading up to departure. Only in the final months was the "Kainan Maru" decided upon, but up to that point a ship named the "Banjo Maru" may have been the chosen vessel. Indications are a big push was made to procure more money to purchase/pay for the "Kainan Maru" as late as September 1910. The documents appear to shed light on some major problems related to funding and the ship, and the Japanese Antarctic Expedition was really pulled (pushed) together at the last moments.

The "Banjo Maru" is linked to a Captain Gunji in a two article titles. There is a strong likeli­hood this was the Captain Gunji associated with Shirase's expedition to the Kuril Islands in 1893 and 1894. Lieutenant Gunji oversaw that expedition, but he did not stay on the island and instead designated Lt. Shirase to be in command. Ultimately, all the men died except for Shirase. This is when and where the poem 'Shumshu Cave' was written (1894) by Shirase-- the poem used in the beginning of the Shirase Bibliography by Ross, 2010. Zenya Taniguchi-san shared the poem and this story during interviews with Ross. Taniguchi did not speak favorably of Captain Gunji.

Contents:

白瀬中尉の南極探検と本社…明治43年7月

Lieutenant Shirase's Antarctic Expedition and the Head Office…July,1910

楚人冠の提議で講演の相談…明治43年7月

Sojinkan Propose a Consultation of the Lecture…July,1910

大毎との争奪戦起る…明治43年7月

A Struggle with Daimai Happened…July,1910

社長の命で鳥居素川が上京…明治43年7月

Sosen Torii Came to Tokyo by the Order of the President…July,1910

後援と通信独占の契約成る…明治43年7月

Made an Agreement Concerning Support and Communication Monopoly…July,1910

東西で義金募集を開始…明治43年7月

Started to Raise a Contribution of Money in East and West…July,1910

探検事業援助に力強い社説…明治43年7月

A Powerful Editorial for Assistance of the Exploration…July,1910

大阪京都等で発表講演会…明治43年8月

An Announcement and a Lecture in Osaka and Kyoto…August,1910

図らずも用船難から延期論起る…明治43年8月

Postponement Unexpectedly Showed up Due to the Ship Problem…August,1910

蹉跌を来した磐城艦貸下げ…明治43年8月

Failure in a Lease of the Ship (Banjokan)…August,1910

出発延期で社内の大論戦…明治43年8月

Internal Controversy for the Postponement of the Departure…August,1910

楚人冠から中止論出づ…明治43年8月

No Cancellation from Sojinkan…August,1910

大隅書簡を掲げ延期の辯明…明治43年8月

Explanation of the Postponement (mentioning correspondence of Osumi)…August,1910

本社から拡張計画を提案…明治43年8月

Proposal of Expansion from the Head Office…August,1910

探検隊にも内輪喧嘩…明治43年8月

Expedition Team Began to Quarrel Among Themselves…August,1910

磐城絶望、白瀬の縮少案採択…明治43年8月

Hopeless Banjo, Shirase's Downscaled Plan was Chosen…August,1910

縮少案では学術部隊が不参加…明治43年8月

No Academy Corps in the Downscaled Plan…August,1910

桂首相から磐城貸下の拒否通告…明治43年8月

Notification of a Veto from the Prime Minister Katsura (about the lease of the ship Banjo)…August,1910

義金引渡しで再び社内に大論争…明治43年9月

Internal Controversy for a Delivery of a Contribution of Money…September,1910

「政府の出航差止め」の窮策…明治43年9月

A Desperate Measure for Government's Sailing Suspension…September,1910

後始末に池辺主筆の苦衷…明治43年9月

Chief Editor Ikebe's Suffering for Settling Matters

楚人冠西下して用船探し…明治43年9月

Sojinkan Went Down to West for Seeking a Ship…September,1910

流石の大隅も手を焼く…明治43年10月

Osumi had a Hard Time…October,1910

浮び出た郡司大尉の第二報敦丸…明治43年9月

Captain Gunji's ship（第二報敦丸）…September,1910

大隅伯から義金引渡し要求…明治43年10月

Count Osumi Requires a Contribution of Money…October,1910

本社が義金払戻しの決意…明治43年10月

The Head Office Determined to Refund a Contribution of Money…October,1910

大隅への申入れと池辺専断問題…明治43年10月

Proposal for Osumi and a Problem of Ikebe's Arbitrary Decision…October,1910

上野池辺の意見が食ひ違ひ…明治43年10月

Inconsistency of Ikebe Ueno's Opinion…October,1910

「本社を思ふ為の専断」（池辺書簡）…明治43年10月

「The Arbitrary Decision for the Head Office」

(Ikebe's Letter)…October,1910

池辺に代って楚人冠が下阪…明治43年10月

Sojinkan Went Down to Osaka in Place of Ikebe…October,1910

社告案で東西互いに譲らず…明治43年10月

East and West Do Not Hand It Over to Each Other in a Plan of Internal Announcement…October,1910

先づ楚人冠の原案を検討…明治43年10月

Considering Sojinkan's Original Suggestion Firstly…October,1910

大朝は大隅伯の責任に重点…明治43年10月

Daicho Focuses on Count Osumi's Responsibility…October,1910

池辺案は政府の違約を攻撃…明治43年10月

Plan of Ikebe Criticizes Government's Breach of Contract…October,1910

池辺が恐れた大隅との水掛論…明治43年10月

Endless Dispute with Osumi (Ikebe Was Afraid of Osumi)…October,1910

上野社長、大隅伯と会見…明治43年10月

President Ueno had an Interview with Count Osumi…October,1910

揉み抜いた社告漸く掲載…明治43年10月

Manfully Published a Well Chosen Company Announcement… October,1910

義金を渡して関係を断つ…明治43年10月

Breaking Off the Connection After Handing Over a Contribution of Money…October,1910

十一月十五日も出発不能…明治43年11月

Not Possible to Depart on 15th November…November,1910

開南丸出発後に本社の声明…明治43年11月

Head Office's Declaration After the Departure of the Ship Kainanmaru…November,1910

「大毎」の報復的な攻撃論…明治43年9月

Daimai's Retaliatory Argument…September,1910

村山社長と池辺主筆の激論…明治43年11月

Furious Argument Between President Murayama and Ikebe…November,1910

「本社にも手落」（松山、上野談）…明治43年

There Was an Omission of the Head Office (by Matsuyama and Ueno)…November 1910