Japanese.—Dispatches from Consul Van Reed inform us, that he has engaged and will ship for Honolulu 180 picked Japanese for laborers. Their contracts are for three years are $4.00 per month, found and medical attendance, to be taken to Honolulu and returned at end of contract, free of expense. He thinks the obligation to return them, may be modified, so that those who elect to remain here, need not be returned. At the time of the arrival of the Stonewall, he was negotiating for a ship to send 300 men and 20 women, but will first send the 180 above spoken of. If the reports from  them are satisfactory, hundreds more are available, and ready to contract for service here. We believe the Japanese will be valuable immigrants, they are docile, industrious, and accustomed to cultivating sugar, rice and cotton, and other products raised upon our soil.

[It seems there is an exhibit at the Bishop Museum opening today featuring this group of first contract laborers from Japan who arrived 150 years ago.]

(Hawaiian Gazette, 6/10/1868, p. 2)

Hawaiian Gazette, Volume IV, Number 21, Page 2. June 10, 1868.