This map of Japan, published as a supplement to the prestigious Asahi Shimbun newspaper in 1921, offers a fascinating glimpse into a country rapidly evolving during the Taisho period (1912-1926). Titled “Bird’s-Eye View of New Japan,” the map proudly celebrates the country’s modernization achievements and territorial expansion.
Compiled by General Naomitsu Ibe and based on the cartographic surveys of Kenji Ogura, the map stands out for its accuracy and wealth of detail. The “bird’s-eye view” technique provides a broad and evocative vision of Japan’s main islands: Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Hokkaido, along with the surrounding smaller islands. The map also includes Japanese imperial claims in Korea, Taiwan, Ryukyu, and Karafuto (present-day Sakhalin Island), testifying to Japan’s ambition to become a regional power.
The term “New Japan” that appears on the map’s title emphasizes the radical change the country had undergone in the first decades of the 20th century. Japan, emerging from its isolation, had embraced modernization, industrialization, and military expansion. The map reflects this dynamism through various elements:
Red lines highlighting existing railways and those planned or under construction, symbolizing progress and infrastructural development.
A globe centered on Japan, placed below the title, showing air and sea connections extending throughout Asia, all the way to Australia, Europe, and the Americas, underlining Japan’s openness to the world and its growing international influence.
The publication of this map in 1921 was no coincidence. Just a few days later, Japan’s rulers would sit as equals with the major European and American powers at the Washington Naval Conference. This event marked Japan’s affirmation as a major world power, the first Asian nation to achieve this status. The map, therefore, can be interpreted as a celebration of this milestone and a visual representation of Japan’s ambitions in the international arena.
The Asahi Shimbun, the newspaper that published the map, is one of the oldest and most respected in Japan. Founded in 1879, the newspaper played a crucial role in shaping public opinion and documenting the country’s changes. Its decision to include such a detailed and significant map with its newspaper testifies to the importance that the Asahi Shimbun attached to the dissemination of geographical knowledge and the promotion of a vision of Japan as an emerging power.
