The Japan–British Society (or ) was founded in 1908 "to encourage the study of things British and to promote cordial relations between the peoples of

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

and

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

." It is the oldest

bilateral Bilateral may refer to any concept including two sides, in particular: *Bilateria, bilateral animals *Bilateralism, the political and cultural relations between two states *Bilateral, occurring on both sides of an organism ( Anatomical terms of l ...

organization in Japan, promoting international cooperation and exchanges.

Foundation of the society

The society was founded in 1908, six years after Japan and the United Kingdom formed the

Anglo-Japanese Alliance The was an alliance between the United Kingdom and the Empire of Japan which was effective from 1902 to 1923. The treaty creating the alliance was signed at Lansdowne House in London on 30 January 1902 by British foreign secretary Lord Lans ...

, which at first was a purely military arrangement. Japanese Government Officials established the society after recognising the need for mutual understanding of the two countries' societies and cultures. The Japan–British Society and the Japan Society's Japan branch (which is no longer extant) appear to have had their roots in a group known as "the Old Country Club" for Japanese who had previously lived in England. On 20 October 1908, a meeting was held at the Peer's ClubThe Peer's Club purchased the old Rokumeikan building in 1890, and renamed it The building was demolished in 1941, and its imposing, copper clad gates were destroyed by bombing in 1945. in Tokyo to discuss the formation in Tokyo of a society to equal the Japan Society of London. Viscount Hayashi was elected as chairman, and the British AmbassadorThe

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...

from the

Court of St. James's The Court of St James's serves as the official royal court for the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The court formally receives all ambassadors accredited to the United Kingdom. Likewise, ambassadors representing the United Kingdom are formally a ...

to Japan holds the presidency of the society for the duration of their appointment. was elected as its first president. The Ambassador proposed that the society be named "The Japanese and British Society", however those present chose the shorter "The British Society" instead. On 27 November 1908, "The British Society" held its inaugural meeting at the Imperial HotelThe original, wooden Imperial Hotel was built next to the Rokumeikan/Kazoku Kaikan in 1890, but was demolished and replaced by a stone and concrete structure designed by

Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed List of Frank Lloyd Wright works, more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key ...

in 1923, which in turn was demolished to make way for the current structure in 1968. in Tokyo, and at some point after 1910, changed its name to "The Japan-British Society".

1908 to the present day

On 13 March 1935, Mr. Charles Sale of the Japan Society used the inauguration of a telephone service between Japan and the United Kingdom to send the Japan Society's greetings to the officers and council of the Japan–British Society in Tokyo, and to their patron

Prince Chichibu was the second son of Emperor Taishō (Yoshihito) and Empress Teimei (Sadako), a younger brother of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) and a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. As a member of the Imperial House of Japan, he was the patron of seve ...

. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the society's activities were halted, and air raids destroyed much of their records. The society resumed its activities upon the conclusion of the

Treaty of San Francisco The , also called the , re-established peaceful relations between Japan and the Allied Powers on behalf of the United Nations by ending the legal state of war, military occupation and providing for redress for hostile actions up to and inclu ...

in 1951. Large-scale festivals of

Japanese culture Japanese culture has changed greatly over the millennia, from the country's prehistoric Jōmon period, to its contemporary modern culture, which absorbs influences from Asia and other regions of the world. Since the Jomon period, ancestral ...

were held in the U.K. in 1981 and 1991. In 1998, a reciprocal event, the UK98 festival, was held with the cooperation of the association to introduce

British culture The culture of the United Kingdom is influenced by its History of the United Kingdom, combined nations' history, its interaction with the cultures of Europe, the individual diverse cultures of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and ...

to Japan. The Society supported the Japan 2001 festival, which featured a series of events to introduce

traditional A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examp ...

and

contemporary Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from about 1945 to the present. In the social sciences, contemporary history is also continuous with, and related t ...

Japanese culture throughout Britain. The event's joint patrons were the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

and the Crown Prince of Japan. In addition, the society began compiling a history of the organization in preparation for its

centenary A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century. Notable events Notable centennial events at a national or world-level include: * Centennial Exhibition, 1876, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ...

in 2008. In November, 2000, the society was reformed and established as a .

Membership

This body has over 2000 members and is supported by more than 120 corporate members. Membership of the Society is open to anyone with an interest in the cause of Japan-United Kingdom relations, and on the recommendation of a member of the Society or upon attending a membership interview.

Imperial patronage

Prince Fushimi Sadanaru was the 22nd head of the Fushimi-no-miya shinnōke (branch of the Imperial Family). He was a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army. Early life Prince Sadanaru was born in Kyoto as the fourteenth son of Prince Fushimi Kuniie (1802–18 ...

became the first Royal Patron of the Society in 1910, after taking an active role in Anglo-Japanese relations. He travelled to the UK in May, 1907, to give Emperor Meiji's thanks to

King Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...

for bestowing

The Most Noble Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. The most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, it is outranked in precedence only by the decorations of the Victoria Cr ...

upon him. He was sent to England again after

Russo-Japanese War The Russo-Japanese War (8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905) was fought between the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan over rival imperial ambitions in Manchuria and the Korean Empire. The major land battles of the war were fought on the ...

in 1909, on a mission of thanks from the Japanese government for British advice and assistance during the war, and the Prince also represented Japan at the

state funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements o ...

of King Edward VII on May 20, 1910, and met with the new

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. George was born during the reign of his pa ...

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...

. Later, Prince and Princess Chichibu were Honorary Patrons.

was the second son of

Emperor Taishō , posthumously honored as , was the 123rd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 1912 until his death in 1926. His reign, known as the Taishō era, was characterized by a liberal and democratic shift in ...

and noted for his efforts to promote international relations. His promotion of rugby in Japan is remembered at the

Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium (also called Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium) is a rugby union stadium located in the Aoyama district of central Tokyo, Japan. It is the spiritual home of Japanese rugby union and the headquarters of the Japan Rugby Football Union. Named for P ...

(Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground) in Aoyama. After his death, Princess Chichibu, eldest daughter of Ambassador

Tsuneo Matsudaira was a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as the first President of the House of Councillors from 1947 to 1949. He previously served as Ambassador to the United States from 1924 to 1928, to Britain from 1929 to 1936, and Minister of the ...

, accepted the honorary patronage. She was active in Anglo-Japanese relations, visiting the UK in 1962 (in reciprocation for the first post-war visit by a member of the UK Royal family,

Princess Alexandra of Kent Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy (Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christabel; born 25 December 1936) is a member of the British royal family and the only daughter of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and D ...

, the previous year), and again in 1967, for the 75th anniversary of the Japan Society. Every year, the society holds the Princess Chichibu Memorial Lecture.

Prince Tomohito of Mikasa was a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the eldest son of Takahito, Prince Mikasa and Yuriko, Princess Mikasa. He was a first cousin of Emperor Akihito, and was formerly sixth in the line of succession to the Japanese throne and the h ...

was the Honorary Patron of the Japan–British Society. He is the eldest son of

Prince Mikasa was a Japanese prince, the youngest of the four sons of Emperor Taishō (Yoshihito) and Empress Teimei (Sadako). He was their last surviving child. His eldest brother was Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito). After serving as a junior cavalry officer in ...

, and an

alumnus Alumni (: alumnus () or alumna ()) are former students or graduates of a school, college, or university. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for groups of women, and alums (: alum) or alumns (: alumn) as gender-neutral alternatives. Th ...

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

Magdalen College Magdalen College ( ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by Bishop of Winchester William of Waynflete. It is one of the wealthiest Oxford colleges, as of 2022, and one of the strongest academically, se ...

Events

The Society provides a forum within which members of both nationalities meet for social and cultural exchanges on an informal and friendly basis. The Society's regular events are an Annual Dinner, a Gala Party, the Princess Chichibu Memorial Lecture and the Annual Golf Tournament for the Princess Chichibu Trophy. The society also holds many other events such as wine or sake tasting, trips to sporting events and theatrical performances, cultural lessons (such as English cookery), Business Forum meetings, and lectures. The society's Junior Group arranges social events to appeal to younger members, including the annual Christmas party, the ''Mochitsuki'' (rice pounding), ''Shinnenkai'' (New Year's party), pub nights, film viewings, barbecues, and cherry blossom viewing at the British Embassy.

Activities

The society has supported a number of exchange programs and offers opportunities for British and Japanese members to become acquainted with each other, including seasonal events and lectures. In the educational sphere, the society has supported English language study programs in Britain. Beginning in 2017, the society worked with the Japan Association of the UK to coordinate the Sakura Cherry Tree Project, a program designated to plant cherry blossoms in the United Kingdom as a show of friendship. The first trees were planted in 2019.

Regional The Japan British Society

The Japan–British Society was founded in Tokyo in 1908 and gradually spread to many regional areas. As of August, 2009, there are 19 independent, regional Japan-British Societies outside Tokyo:

Aichi is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,461,111 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefecture ...

Aomori , officially Aomori City (, ), is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 264,945 in 136,781 households, and a population density of 321 people per squa ...

Asahikawa is a Cities of Japan, city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture, and the second-largest city in Hokkaido, after Sapporo. It has been a Core cities of Japan, core city since April 1, 2000. The city i ...

Ehime is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Ehime Prefecture has a population of 1,334,841 and a geographic area of 5,676 km2 (2,191 sq mi). Ehime Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the northeast, Tokushima Prefecture to th ...

, Fukui,British-Japan Society of Fukui
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Fukuoka is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. ...

Hakodate is a Cities of Japan, city and seaports of Japan, port located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture. As of January 31, 2024, the city had an estimated population of 239,813 with 138,807 househol ...

Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui has b ...

Hokkaido is the list of islands of Japan by area, second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own list of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō fr ...

, Ishikawa, Iwate,

Kagoshima , is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 583,966 in 285,992 households, and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Etymology While the ...

Kansai The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropoli ...

Kumamoto is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 738,907 and a population density of 1,893 people per km2. The total area is 390.32 km2. had a populat ...

, Miyazaki,

Nagasaki , officially , is the capital and the largest Cities of Japan, city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Founded by the Portuguese, the port of Portuguese_Nagasaki, Nagasaki became the sole Nanban trade, port used for tr ...

, Shizuoka, Tohoku, Yamaguchi.

Works

The society publishes monthly notices (including information about society events, related events, and book reviews) and an annual report.

Notes

References

External links and sources

The Japan British Society's website
an

photographs of the Peer's Club in Tokyo, circa 1911.

an

photographs of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, circa 1911. {{DEFAULTSORT:Japan-British Society 1908 establishments in Japan Culture of the United Kingdom Cultural organizations based in Japan Japan–United Kingdom relations Japan friendship associations Organizations based in Tokyo Organizations established in 1908 Overseas Japanese organisations United Kingdom friendship associations