This fascinating first-hand account of the impact of the declaration of war by Japan upon Britain in 1941 provides reflections upon the diplomatic and personal situaions of the staff engaged in Anglo-Japanese relations at the time.

As future Prime Minister Arthur Balfour (1848-1930) was emerging as a prominant politician, Japan was coming on to the international map. Balfour's career came to reflect this change in Japan's stature, as the country went from low to high priority in the eyes of the British Foreign Office.

Prominent representatives of the British Council in Japan reflect on their experiences, which included writing books on Japanese food, entertaining visiting politicians and celebreties, organising festivals and promoting education and culture. Particular attention is given to difficulties encountered with the English language teaching system.

This chapter details Charles Sale’s success as a British businessman in Japan, as well as the efforts he and his son George made to promote Anglo-Japanese relations in the UK.

Chinda Sutemi ( 1857-1929) presided over a period in postwar Anglo-Japanese relations where he was responsible for diplomacy at what would later come to be understood as critical junctures in the build up to the Second World War. This essay charts his career through the London Embassy, at the Paris Peace Conference and up to Japan's exit from the League of Nations.

Chinda Sutemi (1857-1929) presided over a period in postwar Anglo-Japanese relations where he was responsible for diplomacy at critical junctures. This essay charts his career through the London Embassy, at the Paris Peace Conference and up to Japan's exit from the League of Nations.

The Earl of Kimberly was a high profile politician whose career was remarkable for its longevity and proximity to the ‘inner group’ of the cabinet. The chapter goes into depth about his career and views as well as his links to Japan.

Edward Grey's (1862-1933) served as Foreign Secretary for a decade, setting a record for length of service. Through looking at his writings and minutes, the impressions of his closest officials and the impressions of Japanese diplomats, this essay uncovers the thinking which shaped his policy-making. 

Edward Heath (1916-2005) was the first British Prime Minister to make an official visit to Japan. This essay details Heath's 1972 visit and its aftermath.

This essay details Ernest Bevin's (1881-1951) role in Britain's post war attitudes and policies towards occupied Japan at the start of the Cold War, as Britain strived to remain a global power and public oppinion of Japan remained poor.

Chapter 10 focuses on Ernest Harold Pickering and his academic works, Pickering was a liberal democrat MP for Leicester West and was a professor at Tokyo University. Pickering wrote ‘Japan’s Place in the Modern World’; the intention was to ‘show the Western World something of the real nature of Japanese character’. 

Fukuda Takeo (1905-1995) was Prime Minister for two years from 1976 to 1978. He was an anglophile, having spent three years of his life in Britain, and one of the more pro-British post war Prime Ministers. This portrait lays out his life, political career and time in Britain.

This essay charts the controversial life and political career of Inoue Kaoru (1836-1915) of the Chōshū Five and one of the most powerful figures of the Meiji period. A man who epitomized the world of the oligarchs; the immense power wielded by a select few.

Inouye Katsunosuke was responsible for steering Anglo-Japanese (1861-1929) relations at a very difficult period in world history during the First World War. This essay details how he coped in a way that attracted great respect. 

Inouye Katsunosuke (1861-1929) was responsible for steering Anglo-Japanese relations during the First World War, a very difficult period in world history. This essay details how he coped in a way which attracted great respect. 

Itō Hirobumi (1841-1909) was Japan's first cabinet prime minister, and this essay asseses the influence of his time as a student in Britain on his career in Imperial Japan.

John Lowder (1843-1902) briefly served as consul in Japan. He was famously pro-Japan and one of its most notable foreign lawyers.

Katō Takaaki (1860-1926) spent a quarter of his career overseas and was foreign minister four times, combining diplomatic service with high office in Tokyo. Since his only overseas postings were in Britian he occupies a special place in Anglo-Japanese relations.

Since his only overseas postings were in Britain, Katō Takaaki (1860-1929) occupies a special place in the diplomacy of Anglo-Japanese relations. This essay documents his remarkable record as diplomat and foreign minister.

This article profiles the little-known figure of Kawase Masataka (1840-1919) who, aside from being known as the longest-serving envoy to Britain, remains a shadowy figure to many historians of the nineteenth century. 

This portrait considers the diplomatic career of Komura Jūtarō as foreign minister and later ambassador to Britain.

This portrait considers the diplomatic career of Komura Jūtarō (1855-1911) as foreign minister and later ambassador to Britain.

Before his unfortunate infatuation with conman Thomas Lake Harris, Laurence Oliphant (1858-88) made two visits to Japan, each time leaving a fascinating account of his adventures. This essay details those colourful adventures, both personal and diplomatic.

Lees Mayall was based in Japan from 1958 to 1961, tasked with keeping an eye on the Japanese Government's new 'American-imposed democracy'. This chapter comprises extracts from his memoir Fireflies in Amber, in which he describes his reactions to Japan.

This portrait considers Lord Curzon's (1859-1925) two distinct phases of contact with Japan: first as the Foreign Office spokesman in the House of Commons, then later as Foreign Secretary.

Lord Granville's (1815-1891) career in the Foreign Office brough him into close contact with Japan, although he never visited the country himself. He was in office during some key episodes in Japan's attempts to revise the Unequal, or Ansei, Treaties.

This essay seeks to answer the question of Edward Wood's (1881-1959) attitudes towards Japan in his role as foreign secretary from 1938 to 1941, when relations between Britain and Japan were becoming increasingly frayed.

This essay discusses the involvement of Lord Hankey and R.A. Butler in the 'appeasement' of Japan and their attempts to bring about a rapprochement and stem the descent towards war.

Lord Lansdowne (1845-1927) was foreign secretary in Japan. Lansdowne’s name is forever associated with the Japanese alliance. The chapter talks about his career and major contribution to the alliance.

This essay recounts Lord Rosebery's (1847-1929) role in Anglo-Japanese relations in the late 1800s to the early 1900s, including ultimately futile diplomatic efforts to bring about the end of the Sino-Japanese war.

Lord Salisbury (1830-1903) dominated British foreign policy for the better part of a quarter of a century at the close of the Victorian era, serving four times as Foreign Secretary and thrice Prime Minister. This essay sketches his attitudes towards Japan and analyses the emergence of Japan as a major power in the evolution of Anglo-Japanese relations.

This essay considers the impact of Maejima Hisoka's (1835-1919) visit to Britain in the early 1870s, after which he founded Japan's postal service.

Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013) played a significant role in promoting Japanese manufacturing investment in Britain and opening up the Japanese markets, and ensured that Britain was no longer seen as suffering from what the Japanese called eikokubyō (the English disease).

This essay recounts how Matsui Keishirō (1868-1946), in his many roles, including as Ambassador in London, was involved at numerous important turning points in the history of Japanese external relations.

This essay recounts how Matsui Keishirō (1868-1946) was involved at numerous important turning points in the history of Japanese external relations as both Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, one of the chief delegates at the Paris Peace Conference, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Ambassador to Britain.

This portrait presents the long political career of staunch internationalist Miyazawa Kiichi (1919-2007), who served in the National Diet from 1953 to 2003, and was appointed Prime Minister in 1991. This essay considers his brand of politics in relation to that prevailing in British politics at the time.

This portrait charts the political career of Mori Arinori (1847-1889), a Meiji statesman whose time in Britain played a significant role in his move from liberalism to conservatism.

This portrait charts the political career of Mori Arinori (1847-89), a Meiji statesman whose time in Britain played a significant role in his move from liberalism to conservatism.

Nakai Hiromu (1838-94) went by many names, and played an important, but largely forgotten, part in Anglo-Japanese relations. This essay details his career and attitudes towards both his own culture and British culture.

Netsuke is a kind of miniature sculpture invented in Japan in the 17th century. During the 19th and 20th century, this form of art became very popular in Britain due to the small size and the ‘taste’ of Japan in it. These miniatures can be considered the precursors of modern Japanese miniature art. This article explores the lives of British collectors of Netsuke. 

Nitobe Inazō (1862-1933) was Japan's first international civil servant at the League of Nations. This essay deals with Nitobe’s experiences in the secretariat of the League during its early days in London.

Chapter 26 focuses on the 38-year career of Oswald White in the Japan consular service. White was known as Japanese sympathiser, and held an affinity for the language, culture, and people, but was saddened by the aggression of the Japanese regime during the Second World War.

Ozaki Yukio (1859-1954) is remarkable in his time for a commitment to liberalism and equal rights. This essay charts his engagement with British ideas of government, his long term as mayor of Tokyo and his marriage to Yei Theodora.

Shortly before his resignation as Prime Minister in 1954 Yoshida Shigeru visited Britain. This essay examines the political controversy surrounding Yoshida's visit, as well as the visit itself and an assessment of its success.

Richard Storry was in Japan teaching before the war, and afterwards was a research fellow in Oxford. This chapter details his 1958 visit to Japan to collect material on Prince Fumimaro Konoye, Japanese Prime Minister from 1937 to '39 and 1940 to '41. It also describes a visit made in 1973, at the height of the oil crisis.

Austin (1863-1937) and Neville Chamberlain (1869-1940) played an important role in British public life, and particularly in the formation of foreign policy. This essay investigates Japanese perceptions and interpretations of their careers.

Malcolm MacDonald (1901-81) presided over an era of Anglo-Japanese relations during which he was forced to consider Japan's position post Second World War and its impact upon the British Empire. This essay acknowledges his relative ambivelance towards Japan, but also his key role in diplomacy with the country.

This portrait seeks to assess Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden's (1897-1977) attitude towards Britain's former ally and contemporary adversary, Japan, as well as detail his efforts to rebuild relations in the wake of the bitter legacy of the Pacific War.

Sir Edward Crowe was appointed as commercial attache in Tokyo in response to new challenges caused by international trade competition. Despite being very successful during his time in the Department of Overseas Trade, Crowe received very little recognition for his contributions, and is remembered in this chapter as “the forgotten star of the Japan consular service.”

Sir Ernest Satow (1843-1929) served as head of the British Mission in Japan from 1895 to 1900, and this essay uses his diaries to arrive at an understanding of his chief concerns during his time in Tokyo.

Sir Ernest Satow (1843-1929), generally regarded as the best qualified official and the most outstanding scholar of Japanese to have been appointed Head of Mission to Japan, served in this rol from 1895 to 1900, and this essay uses his diaries to arrive at an understanding of his chief concerns during his time in Tokyo.

Fred Warner was an international diplomat before being appointed ambassador to Japan in 1972. During his tenure, he helped establish Japan’s political and commercial significance in Britain.

This portrait offers an analysis of Sir John Simon's (1873-1954) flawed role in the foreign office and in Anglo-Japanese relations as a whole as they pertained to the Manchurian crisis.

Sir John Whitehead acted as British ambassador in Japan from 1987 to 1992. Whitehead played an important part in deepening UK-Japan economic ties by actively promoting trade and investment between the two nations.

This essay provides an account of Julian Ridsdale's (1915-2004) interest in Japan and politics, and how these two came together in his long service to Anglo-Japanese Parliamentary relations.

Warner’s successor, Sir Michael Wilford, served as ambassador in Japan from 1975 to 1980. Owing to growing economic hardship both in Britain and in Japan during his tenure, Wilford spent much of his time managing commercial friction between the two nations.

Despite his being perhaps lesser known than other Meiji era statesmen this essay makes the case of Suematsu Kenchō's (1855-1920) significant contributions in many areas of Japanese politics.

This portrait considers how Arthur Edwardes emerges as a shadowy and perhaps naive figure on the edge of Anglo-Japanese relations in the build up to the Second World War.

Tōgō Heihachirō's (1848-1934) naval career was one intimately interlinked with Britain, and this essay charts his illustrious role in international diplomacy and the admiralty of the Japanese Imperial Navy.

Esler Denning, Robert Scott and George Moss, were three of the Britain’s ‘China consuls’ posted in Manchuria in the early 1930s. Though their actions, they all played a role in attempting to balance British, Chinese and Japanese interests in the region.

Bill Williamson did two separate tours as Atomic Energy Attaché at the British Embassy. His account of working with the Japanese government in the commissioning of the first nuclear power stations in Japan is a reminder of an important and often over-looked facet of Anglo-Japan relations. Clive Bradley meanwhile was Counsellor for Science and Technology in the British Embassy in the 1980s where he was responsible for reporting on scientific and technological developments and for promoting British science and technology.

The politically active part of Sir Winston Churchill's (1874-1965) life almost coincided with the emergence, decline and rebirth of modern Japan. This essay details Churchill's part in Anglo-Japanese relations both pre and post Second World War.