Shibusawa Eiichi
Okabe had connections with business, political and noble society in Japan. Viscount Shibusawa Eiichi met Okabe in Menlo Park, in 1909. Baron Okura Kihachiro also supported Okabe in inviting Edison to Japan around 1926. Okabe negotiated with Okura's support, but this attempt was a failure because Edison was busy developing synthetic rubber. Viscount Kaneko Kentarō was a close friend of Okabe. At ceremony held in memory of Edison on January 22, 1931, Kaneko presented Okabe as "Edison introduced me to one Japanese who worked in his secret laboratory, when I visited America to procure war expenditure. He was Honorable Yoshiro Okabe!"