Excerpt from Official Catalogue of the Japanese Section, and Descriptive Notes on the Industry and Agriculture of Japan

Never until the year 1878, had Japan participated to any great extent in the various European International Exhibitions. Up to that time she had been merely represented by some of the provincial governments, acting inde pendently of the central Government. However, the Government determined to be worthily represented at the Vienna International Exhibition of 1873, and notwithstanding the numerous difficulties in the way, measures were taken to. Exhibit a very complete collection of the produce and manufactures of the country. The Commission was not appointed until June, 1872, owing to which: fact there was but little time allowed for preparations and further, the J apan ese manufacturers being as yet ignorant of the beneficial results to be obtained, were unwilling to send their goods to a place so far away as Vienna. Couse quently the Government was obliged to send officials into the various provinces with orders to buy and to collect such goods as might be suitable for exhibition.

With regard to the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition the case was eu titely different. As early as June, 1873, the Government received official inti mation that an exhibition would take place at Philadelphia in 1876, and in. June, 1874, it was definitely decided that Japan should participate in the saidz Exhibition. This was officially notified to the American Government by the Japanese Minister in Washington in Nov., 1874, and in the last month of. The same year the preparations were actively entered upon. These were entrusted. Chiefly to those persons who, as members of the Commission of 1873, had. Obtained experience in the matter of exhibitions at Vienna. The office was. Organized in January, 1875, and established at Tokio, in a quarter of the town. Most conveniently situated for the despatch of goods either by rail or by water. It was decided to constitute the Imperial Commission as a department of that division of the Ministry of the Interior which is especially changed with the promotion of Industry, Commerce, and Agriculture, differing in this respect from the Vienna Commission, which was a separate department, receiving its. Instructions direct from supreme authority.

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