Nippon 28.

First edition. Numerous photographic illustrations. Text in English. Together with the supplement of translattions into German, French, and Spanish. Folio, measuring 365x260cm. Original colour lithograph wrappers, staple-bound, staples broken and some pages loosened, overall still a very good copy. 78pp. 8(supplement)pp. Tokyo, Kokusai Hodo Kogei, 

NIPPON was a quarterly magazine which was launched in October 1934 and ran to 41 issues until September 1944. The editor in chief was Natori Yonosuke (1910-1962), who had just returned from in Germany where he had studied and worked for a number of years and been deeply impressed by German aspects of modernity, be it the arts and crafts movement of design, Bauhaus in architecture, or the trend of 'Neue Sachlichkeit' in photography. He was employed by the Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung (owned by Ullstein) who sent him back to Japan to supply a photographic archive on life in Japan. Once there he was informed that they could not employ non-Aryan staff, but being wealthy himself he decided to found his own publishing house Nihon Kobo. Nippon was published in English, German, French and Spanish and thus aimed at a foreign readership. Initially it was financed by advertisers but soon Kokusai Bunka Shinkokai, who were affiliated to the Foreign ministry (gaimu-sho), provided financial backing. The aim was to improve Japan's standing internationally, following its withdrawal from the League of Nations in 1933. It was a tour-de-force in terms of style, format and layout, focussing on modern lifestyle, architecture, and design, portraying Japan as technically advanced country that was both attractive, modern and prosperous. Issues of the magazine are hard to find in good condition. Includes essays on Japanese classical dance, Relations between Japan and Indo-China, a photo-essay on 'Doctresses in Embryo', and an essay in memory of Rabindranath Tagore. 

Stock Code: 252624