Heruy's mission to Japan, November–December 1931

ORIGINS & PURPOSES

Heruy remained eager to see if Ethiopia could model its modernization along Japanese lines. On November 19, 1930, he asked Yoshida about sending an Ethiopian mission to Japan to improve relations. Receiving a favorable reply, Hayle Sellase then officially asked Japan to accept an ambassadeur extraordinaire to Japan, and the foreign ministry in Tokyo directed Yoshida to discuss details.

Having told an unhappy Rome of his plans, Heruy left Addis Ababa on September 30, 1931. Traveling with him were Teferi Gebre Mariam (Ethiopia's consul in Djibouti), Araya Abeba, and Daba Birrou. Official duties, including ratifying the Ethio-Japanese treaty signed the previous year,would consume only seven days of the longer visit. The Ethiopians sailed on October 5, 1931, from Djibouti.

That same day, Addison Southard reported that Heruy was going to Japan to return the recent official visits while negotiating the commercial and friendship treaty and for attending the Hayle Sellase's coronation. The Ethiopians also wanted to investigate possibilities for opening a legation in Tokyo. Heruy and his Emperor also wanted to manufacture coarse cotton piece goods in Ethiopia, and Southard thought Heruy would propose that the Japanese set up such an enterprise. Southard also believed the Nisshin Joint Stock textile Company of Tokyo had ‘dickered’ for a concession that would give them a near monopoly of the local cotton piece goods market, which it already competitively dominated.

HERUY'S GROUP TOURS JAPAN

At 9 a.m. on November 5, Heruy's delegation arrived aboard the liner Andre Lebon at kobe in western Japan. High Japanese government officials and several thousand citizens, including members of a young men's association, boy scouts, and schoolchildren welcomed him.