Abstract
Led by Iwakura Tomomi, the Iwakura Mission's tour of the USA and eleven European nations was carefully documented by the group's secretary, Kume Kunitake. The 108 participants' experiences and Kume's 2500-page report were crucial to Japan's effort to establish itself as a major world power in the early 20C. Kume wrote "A True Account of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary's Journey of Observation through the United States of America and Europe" in diary form. A five-volume complete translation into English has been available since 2002. "Japan Rising: The Iwakura Embassy to the USA and Europe", edited by Chushichi Tsuzuki and R. Jules Young, is an abridged version of the 2002 translation.