[SHIRASE, Nobu (1861-1946)]. Tokyo Asahi Shinbun Hennenshi 22Kan-Meiji43nen

8vo (244 x 178 mm). 9pp. corrigenda laid in. Glossy photograph frontispiece in sepia tone of the Kainan Maru. Original printed wrappers, cloth-backed spine (unclear if original), printed spine label (uneven toning and spotting to covers); custom folding box with printed labels.

A VERY SIGNIFICANT COMPILATION OF DOCUMENTS THAT PRESENT A WEALTH OF PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN INFORMATION RELATED TO THE JAPANESE ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. A publication of 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, 1910.

Most articles appear to focus on 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, showing that the Japanese Antarctic Expedition was really pulled (pushed) together at the last moments. The “Banjo Maru” is linked to Captain Gunji in two article titles. There is a strong likelihood that Captain Gunji was 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 1894 poem Shumshu Cave was written 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, criticizing Captain Gunji leadership. Complete contents list, that has been exhaustively translated, is available upon request (a printed translation is included). Ross 5.3A (“Very rare”).