In November 1909 Japanese Honorary Commercial Commissioners visited the San Francisco. The delegation consisted of 51 business leaders who came from throughout Japan. The group travelled across the USA over a three-month period, meeting business and political leaders in each city. Including a meetin with President Taft in Washington D.C.
The purpose of the visit was to promote trade between Japan and the US. The delegation leader was Shibusawa Eiichi (1840-1931), a notable Japanese bureaucrat and businessman, who was involved in a wide range of businesses including banking, energy, and shipping. Shibusawa also wanted to establish a news agency to promote better understanding between the two countries, but that did not materialise. His fame is such that his portrait will be featured on the Japanese 10000 yen note from 2024.
San Francisco was the final city visited on the mainland. There the delegation engaged in a busy schedule of receptions, courtesy calls and site inspections before departing by boat to Hawaii. Thousands of people gathered at the wharf to farewell the delegation.
Set of commemorative postcards.
The first postcard features the commemorative badge of the visit highlighted in gilt, and Shibusawa's portrait. The second card features James McNab (president of San Francisco Chamber of Commerce) and Buei Nakano (president of Tokyo Chamber of Commerce) with a San Francisco streetscape photograph. The third card features Edward Taylor (Mayor of San Francisco) and Matsuzo Nagai (Consul General in San Francisco) with an illustration of an American girl with a Japanese national flag and a Japanese girl with an American national flag. The musical notation of the Japanese national anthem is making an attractive border along the upper section of the card.
