New-York tribune., 1912-03-23
DISTINGUISHED JAPANESE
Who They Are and What They
Have Done.
WHO'S WHO IN JAPAN: 1912. BY Shun-
iiro Kurita. First Annual Edition; Emo.
pp. xiv, 1880 Tokyo: The Who's VINO IN
Japan ONCE. New York: France q 90

WHO'S WHO IN JAPAN: lsl2 by SnuH-
iiro Kurita. First Annual Edition; iZmo,
m xiv 123o. Tokyo: The Who's Who in
Japan Once. New York: France & 90
We'll nrovided with a list Of abbrevia-
tons and of the meanings OF Japanese
words and titles, this reference oook VIII
undoubtedly be found of increasing heip-
fulness wherever a knowledge OF VINO
who is a matter OF immediate necessity.
The book is patterned on its English ana
American namesakes, and Ike theh'
contains some names the reason lot
whose inclusion is not altogether apPar-
ent The japanese imperial famiIy' Will
its fourteen branches, opens its pages
with beftting dignity, and as for the
five thousand names or so that follo"'
they include scientists, educators pro-
fessional men, artists, litterateurs, eoi-
tors, merchants, financiers, msnu1actur-
ers. statesmen, the Japanese diplomatic
service abroad, and-which is but nat
ural so shortly after the country's great
var-a liberal proportion Of army and
navy officers, from Admirals Togo Ito
and Yamamata and Field Marshal
Prince Oyama downward. The editor
promises TO include in his next edition
the names Of distinguished foreigners
resident IN Japan. Unlike his American
and English colleagues, he prints occa-
sional portraits OF his country's celeorl-
ties. His information is tersely and
clearly given, his English is good and
misprints are laudablv rare.
An examination Of these pages sug-
rests that Il would add 10 the interest
II not to the usefulness, Of this work Il
Mr.. Kurita would include in his next
volume short treatise on japanese fam
nv names. There are, for instance,
sixty-one Watunabis in this volume, who
are who's" in Japan. and an equal num-
ber Of Tanakas The Yamadas follow
with Afty-four, the Suzukis with fifty
three. There are forty-four Satos forty
two Takashis and forty-ohc Noshdas.
The honored name OF Inouye Is distin-
guished by thirty-fve gentlemen beside
the great marquis. DO all these men OF
achievement belong 10 the same clans.
and, If so. what conclusions can be
drawn from the fact by the students Of
heredity?
These Oriental names exercise a sorr
Cf fascination as the Western eye fol-
lows them down the columns OF tho
book. There are. for instance, series of
increasingly long appendices, let us say
as Nishi, Nishlbori, Nishigah Nishihari,
Nishikawa. There IL only one Fuji but
thirteen Fujiis. The letter r occurs
only twice as the beginning Of name.
in Rinoye and Rakkaku; there are three
rs, Zen, Zenidaka, Zomoto Only two
distinguished Fujiyamas are found here,
and, more disappointing still only ono
Satsuma. No fewer than seventeen Abes
have already risen 10 distinction in
japan. II is safe 10 predict that their
number will rapidly increase as the
country becomes more and more West
ernized. The O's may be recommended 10
the attention of certain Celtic enthu-
siast who, like Zachary Taylor, is pre-
pared to claim everything. The pedi-
grees Of those eleven japanese OharaJ
are worth looking into