The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-06-17
JAPANESE PAPERS
Mr.. Tokutomi Tells How
They are Conducted.
Big Newspaper Man From Tokyo
and HIS Views on Press
Work in Japan.

1lcnlTO 1OhuJOml, the japanese
newspaper man, who passed through
10 his home in Tokyo on the P. NJ. S. S.
Peru last night, in company with other
! Japanese friends and associates in
work, is a very bright and wide-awake
man, alive TO all the possibilities Of the
future in his native land, and progress
sive in all his views on the subject of
! journalism. Well versed in the use of
! the English language he is a most in
| teresting man to converse with. There
| is nothing pretentious about the man.
He is simply quiet, neat-looking Jap
anese; but when he speaks, one can
appreciate that there is within him the
fire of enthusiasm and the ambition to
succeed.
He chatted pleasantly with a report
er while coming into the channel yes
terday, and kept looking continually at
the Naniwa, anchored in naval row. In
response to a question, called forth by
this steady gaze at the Japanese man
of-war, Mr.. Tokutomi answered:
"The Japanese Government is not
looking for trouble. Her policy is to
obtain what she deems her right by
ness.
by the way, do you know that Mr..
Furuya is one of the editors on the
Kokumin Shimbun, one of the papers
| -irrINt
young chap, and a man in whom 1
place perfect confidence. to send to us
a correct report of the proceedings be-
tween Hawaii and our Government.
You would like to hear something
of the Japanese papers 1 represent, and
also a few jottings on their inner work
ings? L will endeavor to do my best.
1.-The Kokumin- No-Tomo (The Ma
tion's F'riend), a Japanese periodical
devoted to politics, economics, social
affairs, religion and literature, has
reached the tenth year of it's existence.
AS was set forth in its first issue, the
object of our venture was to open a
new field of work, in which we might
contribute to the progress of our
country, and play our humble part as
loyal citizens of New Japan. That the
scheme was not ill-conceived may be
gathered from the success with which
the Kokumin-N o-Tomo, as we'll as
other publications connected with
it, has been generally favored.
At any rate, the conclusion of the first
decennial period is of considerable sig
nificance in the life of a periodical.
In 1886 our first appeal to the pub
lie was made in book entitled The
Shorai-No-Nihou' (The Japan of the
| Future), in which we attempted to
point out certain lines of development
to be taken by our country. We were
I firmly convinced that Japan was des-
tined to become a commercial and in
dustrial nation, and that, accordingly,
our social and political system, as we'll
| as moral conceptions, should be fun
damentally reformed. Indeed, this re-
| formation began with the restoration
| in 1868. The country being, however,
! still in a stage of transition, we ven
tured to think that there was much to
| be done in the way of guiding the
movement in the right direction. The
| Standardization was published with
| this object in view. The manner in
which it was received by the reading
community was as encouraging as
could be desired, for the book went
| through five editions in less than two
years, and we were enabled to under
take other enterprises for the future
accomplishment of our object.
"The Kokumin-No-To was estab-
lished in 1887 as a monthly magazine,
! but it was soon converted into a fort
nightly, then into a tri-monthly and
| finally became a weekly publication,
The Kokumin Shimbun, a daily paper,
and the Katei Zasshi a family maya
zine. were started in 1890 and 1892, re-
| spectively.
I'VE have done our best, first, to
keep ourselves in touch with the sit
uation and current opinions of the civ
| ilized world and, secondly, to inter
pref these truthfully to our country
men. The need of studying the physic-
al science and mechanical arts of the
West has always been recognized by
| the people; yet. we have paid special
attention to that spiritual life of the
nation which underlies its material de-
velopment. We have endorsed and en-
couraged the patriotic spirit of our
people. but at the same time, we have
/ laid stress on the fraternity of ma
tions.
I'm politics we hold an entirely in
! dependent position. Since the estab-
! lishment of the Diet, our prime object
! has been to secure the best fruits of the
constitutional system, by carrying into
practice the principle. inaugurated at
time of the Restoration. of directing
! State affairs. according to the dictates
/ of public opinion. We have spared no
effort to contribute to the attainment
| of this end, fighting. struggling and
suffering for the cause. The influence
| of certain clans. though still one of
the political elements of our country,
! is fast passing away. Parties seem to
us to be of only secondary Importance.
We believe primarily in the people,