JAPAN. 



409 



eminent is disposed to grant it every possible 

 freedom, and that it is, for the most part, in the 

 hands of a superior class of men. 



An article by Prof. Griffis, on "Christianity 

 in Japan,." thus summarizes the results of mis- 

 sionary labor : 



There are several Catholic,* two Eusso-Greek, 

 and at least seven Protestant Churches in Japan. 

 In Tokio there are of the latter two, in Yokohama 

 three, in Kobe one, in Osaka one. They are Union, 

 Presbyterian, and Baptist, the latter erected and 

 ministered to bytheEev. J. Goble. The member- 

 ship iu these churches amounts to between two and 

 three hundred. There are probably as many as 

 twenty Sunday-schools now organized. In these the 

 gospels and hymns are read and sung in Japanese. 

 The translation of the Scriptures is now proceeding 

 under the direction of a board of translators, repre- 

 senting several and practically all the Protestant de- 

 nominations. Among these are the Eev. David 

 Greene, Congregational; Eev. S. McClay.D. D., 

 Methodist; Eev. Nathan Brown, D. D., Baptist; 

 Eev. David Thompson, Presbyterian, and others. 

 We should have mentioned, when speaking of the 

 pioneers, that the Eev. Dr. Bettelheim, who lived 

 for years the only foreigner on the Liu-Khiu (Loo- 

 choo) Islands, translated the gospels into Japanese. 

 These, having been printed in Vienna, are now in 

 circulation, together with the portions of Scripture 

 issued by the Union Committee. The Gospel of John, 

 in Eomanized Japanese, printed by the American 

 Bible Society, has been issued and circulated to test 

 the popularity and practicability of Eomanizing the 

 entire version of the Bible. Dr. Hepburn also issued, 

 over ten years ago, a tract containing the Ten Com- 

 mandments, Lord's Prayer, and Apostles' Creed, in 

 the vernacular. It has had a great circulation and 

 influence. Other translations of minor works have 

 been made in Tokio and other places. 



The port of Hakodadi is growing in impor- 

 tance. As the silver coins are very scarce, one 

 foreign firm, Blakiston & Co., began in 1875 

 to circulate paper-money on its own account. 

 The Government remained ignorant of the 

 fact until it learned, from one of the Japanese 

 students in Germany, that paper-money for 

 Japan was manufactured in Frankfort and ex- 

 ported. The paper-money was then declared 

 by the Government to be worthless. 



The trade of Japan with Australia is rapidly 

 increasing. Fourteen Japanese merchants paid 

 a visit to the exhibition in Melbourne, where 

 Japanese merchandise, valued at about $20,000, 

 had been sent. 



In April it was announced that the two 

 statesmen, Kiddo and Itagaki, who had been 

 alienated for some time from the present cab- 

 inet, had again joined it. The former was 

 second in rank of the members of the late em- 

 bassy to Europe, and enjoys a high reputation 

 throughout the empire. The latter is a man 

 of undoubted ability, whose retirement from 

 the cabinet was due to his conviction that 'the 

 measures which had been proposed for giving 

 more effect to the popular voice were below 

 the necessities of the occasion. It was expected 

 that the Government would gain strength by 

 the accession of these two well-known men to 

 the cabinet. Kiddo's alienation is supposed to 



* For a fuller account of the Koman Catholic missions in 

 Japan, see ANNUAL CYCLOPAEDIA for 18T4. 



have had its origin in the Formosa question, 

 now happily ended. 



Through the influence of Kiddo and Itagaki 

 the subject of deliberative assemblies was re- 

 considered, and on the 14th of April an im- 

 perial proclamation was issued creating a body 

 called u Genero," and which will be composed 

 of Senators appointed by the Mikado ; also a 

 body called "Daishen," the functions of which 

 will be to adjust and administer a judicial sys- 

 tem. The question of an elective House was 

 reserved for future consideration. The proc- 

 lamation is regarded as making the greatest 

 concession compatible with a proper regard 

 to the public safety, and to the desires of the 

 party asking parliamentary reforms, led by 

 Itagaki, Kiddo, Soyesima, and others less prom- 

 inent. On the same day two or three minor 

 departments were abolished. On April 17th 

 Soyesima and Goto, former members of the 

 Imperial Council, but out of office since the 

 spring of 1873, were called to the Mikado to 

 be heard on the question of the new Senate. 

 They were the leaders of the movement for 

 popular representation in the winter of 1873. 



The first meeting of the Chihokuan Kuaigi, 

 or Parliament of the chief officers of the Fu 

 and Ken, called together by imperial edict for 

 purposes of deliberation, was held at the 

 Honganji, a temple of the Shinto sect at Asa- 

 kusa, on Sunday, the 20th of June. The Mi- 

 kado arrived at the temple at about half-past 

 ten o'clock, accompanied by the Princes Dai- 

 jin, Sangi, and other officers of'his household. 

 On arriving at the eastern gate the band of the 

 Imperial Marines, which was stationed in the 

 court, began to play, and the Mikado entered 

 the temple between two rows of officers. He 

 then delivered the following address : 



Our object, in opening in person this the provin- 

 cial Parliament, has been to secure by its means the 

 thorough discussion of all matters affecting the in- 

 terior economy of our empire, and of securing to the 

 provinces adequate representation. You have been 

 convoked for this purpose, and in order that your 

 knowledge of the condition and feeling of the people 

 of your several districts may aid you in discussing 

 their requirements and introducing such reforms 

 and changes as may seem to you to be most urgently 

 demanded, it is our wish that your deliberations 

 should be marked by general harmony, and that, 

 sinking minor differences, they should tend to pro- 

 mote the ends in view in calling you together. If 

 with one mind you adhere steadily to this course, 

 your conduct will be surely productive of the general 

 welfare, and thus your deliberations may become the 

 foundation of the external well-being of the empire. 

 Understand, therefore, our views. 



The Assembly, by its Speaker, thus addressed 

 his Majesty : 



We, your humble servants, in obedience to your 

 imperial will, and with profound reverence, have 

 been convoked as members of the OMhobuan Kuaigi. 

 We cannot foretell the results of this our assem- 

 bling, in which we have no experience to guide us. 

 But if, happily inspired by your Majesty's benevo- 

 lence and mstice, the results of our deliberations, 

 duly made known to your Majesty, should contribute 

 toward the welfare of the people, then not in' vain will 

 the imperial will have gone forth, and the efficiency 



