琉球一件(明治十二年十月二十二日外務卿照覆総理衙門) / Ryūkyūan Affair(October 22nd, 1879, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan sent a reply to the Office of Foreign Affairs of Qin)

Ryukyu Ikken is a set of ten printed documents. It is a collection of the diplomatic correspondence between Japan and Qing(China) concerning the Japanese annexation of Ryukyu as the Prefecture of Okinawa. This is the 8th volume. On the book cover, there is the title of "October 22nd, 1879, the Ministry of Foregin Affairs of Japan sent a reply to the Office of Foreign Affairs of Qing". Right after the establishment of prefectures in place of feudal domains, the Japanese annexation of Ryukyu became a political issue between Japan and Qing. The General Grant who was ex-President of USA has intervened in the political issue of the Japanese annexation of Ryukyu by visiting China and Japan. This document is a reply to a memorandum sent from the Office of Foreign Affairs of Qing (HW601(7)) from Inoue Kaoru, a chief of Foreign Ministry of Japan, and it was drew up in October 22nd, 1879. It is written in Kanbun(Chinese classical) that Japan has accepted to have a discussion with Qing following the intention of the General Grant. (Updated on November 4, 2022)