JAPAN SOCIETY TIMELINE 1907 1911 1918 May 19 , 1907 : Japan Society founded by Annual lecture series initiated (lectures Japan Society Bulletin of February 28 , 1918 , Lindsay Russell, Hamilton Holt, Jacob Schiff, usually held at the Hotel Astor or at The exhorted readers: “Isn’t it worth your while August Belmont, and other prominent Metropolitan Museum of Art, drawing to spend fifteen minutes a month on Japan? Americans on the occasion of the May visit several hundred people); lectures from The day has passed when we needed to think to New York by General Baron Tamesada the first year included Toyokichi Ienaga only in terms of our own country. The inter - Kuroki and Vice Admiral Goro Ijuin. on “The Positions of the United States and national mind is of today. Read this Bulletin Japan in the Far East” and Frederick W. of the Japan Society and learn something John H. Finley, president of City College, Gookin on Japanese color prints. new about your nearest Western neighbor. elected Japan Society’s first president. Japan has much to teach us. Preparedness is Japan Society’s first art exhibition held Purpose of the Society set forth as “the pro - the watchword of the day: don’t forget that (ukiyo-e prints borrowed from private motion of friendly relations between the this includes mental preparedness. It is just collections and shown at 200 Fifth Avenue), United States and Japan and the diffusion as important to think straight as to shoot attended by about 8,000 people. among the American people of a more accu - straight. Spend fifteen minutes developing rate knowledge of the people of Japan, their Lindsay Russell and Hamilton Holt visited the international side of your mind.” aims, ideals, arts, sciences, industries, and Japan and were granted an audience with economic conditions.” the Meiji Emperor. 1919 General Kuroki quoted as saying, “I am Gerald M. Dahl, vice president of First National immensely pleased with this country and the 1912 City Bank, elected president of Japan Society. reception I have received here. I like your Japan Society began organizing tours to Former Society president Lindsay Russell country and your people. They are hustlers, Japan and the Far East. like my own.” dedicated his time to raising a permanent Temporary Japanese garden and teahouse endowment fund for the Society, later named constructed on the roof of the Hotel Astor the Townsend Harris Fund, for disseminating 1908 as a special project of the Society to serve information about Japan to Americans. Japan Society issued its first publication, as a setting for periodic lectures, tea cere - Former Prime Minister Marquis Shigenobu a yearbook that continued to be published mony, and noh performances. Okuma quoted in the Society’s Bulletin : “I have until the 1930 s, containing names of the often expressed my view of the absurdity officers and members, a list of the Society’s 1913 of talking of a conflict between Japan and activities, information about Japan and the America, as I firmly believe there is no serious Japanese, pictures of the Emperor, the text Japan Society incorporated under the laws reason for such a conflict, while there is every of the Japanese national anthem, and travel of the state of New York. need for the cooperation of the two nations.” tips for visitors to Japan. Society headquarters established at 165 Broadway. For a while during the World War I period, 1909 the Society’s offices were used by the Anti- Publication of the Society’s first newsletter, Alien Legislation Committee, an openly polit - Dinner held in honor of Their Imperial the monthly Japan Society Bulletin . ical pressure group against discriminatory Highnesses Prince and Princess Kuni. Society began efforts to improve academic legislation toward Japanese immigrants. teaching about Japan in the U.S. 1910 Publication of the Society’s first book, 1920 Lindsay Russell elected president of Japan Japanese Colour-Prints and Their Designers Frank H. Vanderlip, president of First National Society. by Frederick W. Gookin. City Bank, elected president of Japan Society. Luncheons held in honor of Prince Iyesato Society’s offices moved to 25 West 43 rd Street. Tokugawa, the heir of the last Tokugawa 1916 Shogun, and Their Imperial Highnesses First commercial (corporate) memberships Publication began of the Trade Bulletin , provid- Prince and Princess Hiroyasu Fushimi. established. ing information on Japan’s economic activities Dinner held in honor of Yukio Ozaki, Mayor to Society members, chambers of commerce , Japanese Advisory Committee of prominent of Tokyo (remembered in the U.S. as the corporations, and banking institutions. local Japanese business leaders established. donor, on behalf of the city of Tokyo, of the Publication of 1,000 copies of a pamphlet Garden party held at Vanderlip’s home, with famous Washington, D.C., cherry trees). entitled The Japanese Problem and the more than 600 people attending. Committee on Arts and Literature established. United States . Celebrating a Century 1907–2007 97 1921 1925 1933 Japan Society engaged Yale historian Japan Society’s Annual Dinner broadcast Japan Society assisted in the publication Kenneth Scott Latourette to prepare a syl - on the radio and reviewed favorably in the of Art, Life, and Nature in Japan by Professor labus of Japan, which was published in eight New York Herald Tribune . Masaharu Anesaki, commemorating the editions over the following fifteen years. Society’s twenty-fifth anniversary. Society published pamphlet containing “ 25 Former Japan Society president Louis V. questions commonly asked about Japan with Society activities confined to publication Ledoux wrote an article for The New York adequate answers to same ... ,” selling over of books on the arts of Japan. Times titled “Yankee Humor in Japan,” 3,000 copies in the first year. “It is to the credit of the individuals who stating that “America and Japan distrust founded the Japan Society, developed its and misunderstand each other, but if ever Mid- 1920s programs, and guided it, especially during the twain shall meet it may be humor, the difficult period of the 1930 s, that they the universal solvent, the curer of enmity, Educational activities of the Society expanded carefully avoided involvement in political that will bring them together.” by a traveling exhibition of characteristic Japanese artifacts and the compilation of a problems on either side.” (Japan Society set of slides to be lent on request, together 1957 annual report.) 1922 with accompanying lectures. Japan Society sponsored its first film screen - 1934 ing, a four-reel film of then Crown Prince 1926–28 Henry W. Taft re-elected president of Japan Hirohito’s 1921 visit to Europe (first trip Society. abroad made by incumbent or designated Japan Society Annual Dinners attracted over occupant of Japanese throne), before a 1,000 people per year. Society’s exhibition, About Japan: Japanese capacity crowd of almost 600 . Society membership climbed to a prewar Paintings, Aspects of Japanese Art and Culture , held at the Century Club. Society presented the Japanese Literary high of 1,300 . Society’s performance of Crimson Camelia in Japanese before an audience of over 700 . 1927 1935 From the 1922 membership brochure: “The Japan Society published The Art of Japan by Japan Society’s offices moved to Japan Society is an association of Americans, Louis V. Ledoux. 527 Fifth Avenue. and some Japanese, who, appreciating the increasing importance of the Far East in 1928 1941 world affairs, desire to create and sustain a Henry W. Taft resigned as Japan Society broader and more intelligent understanding Japan Society received and displayed Good president on December 8. of Japan and the advantages that will result Will Dolls sent to America by more than from a sound and stable Japanese-American 2,500,000 school children in Japan in return Louis V. Ledoux assumed leadership role and relationship. To accomplish this broad edu - for Doll Messengers of Good Will sent by arranged for suspension of the Society’s cational purpose, the Society gives illustrated American school children the previous year. activities during the war. lectures, [and] prints and distributes author - itative books and bulletins on different phases 1929 1942 of Japanese life and activities.” Alexander Tison, a lawyer who had taught Louis V. Ledoux elected president of Japan law at the Imperial University in Tokyo, Society. 1923 elected president of Japan Society. Society’s offices closed, but Paolino Gerli, head Henry W. Taft, brother of U.S. President Following the October financial crash, of a silk importing firm and a Society director William Howard Taft, elected president of Society membership began to decline. from 1913 to 1970 , safely kept the records, Japan Society. bonds, and endowment fund of the Society Society raised a fund of $117,476.50 toward 1930 until after the war, when the Society could begin its activities again. He was the Society’s relief and reconstruction following earth - Japan Society’s offices moved to treasurer from 1952 to 1963 , and honorary quake devastation of Tokyo and Yokohama 36 West 44 th Street. ($100,000 to general relief purposes; $10,000 director from 1970 to 1981 , with sixty-eight to rebuild Tsuda College, a Christian institute years of association with the Society. for girls; balance for reconstruction of St. 1931 Luke’s International Hospital in Tokyo). George W. Wickersham elected president 1947 of Japan Society. Japan Society directors assembled for their first meeting in five years to begin the work of revitalizing the organization. 98 1948 “In 1951 , JDR had become a member of the In the annual report, Society president John Dulles mission to Japan, which resulted in D. Rockefeller 3rd noted the return of sover - Following Louis V. Ledoux’s death, Japan the San Francisco peace treaty. He was given eignty to Japan as well as the resumption of Society vice president Harold Henderson the assignment from Dulles to take a good, full-scale activities at the Society.