Pertaining to Japan

Admiral Kuper and all of his ships left for Yedo in Japan to demand from the government the payment of $625,000, which are the damages acted against the British nation in the killing of the Honorable Richardson, the English ambassador to Japan. He took with him many warships, and it seems  that should his demands not be met, there will be war; that is what is believed. Perhaps the alii of Japan will acquiesce graciously to what is being demanded of them; being that the British Admiral’s insistence and force is justified as he solemnly carries out the demands to Japan that he was ordered to do. There have been however during these past days much preparations made by the Japanese; and their countenances are hardening, in order to refuse all that the British Admiral will demand from them; for they are greatly supplying the forts and war provisions in preparation. It was announced that the French Admiral was headed for Yedo to meet with the British Admiral; his way there however may be impeded because of the trouble the French soldiers are having stationed in Annum [Annam?], and these difficulties may obstruct the French Admiral from going and joining Admiral Kuper in claiming the rights that Britain decided to demand from the nation of Japan.

Some words spoken by an alii of Japan were brought out into the open: a proclamation ordering all of the Government Officials under him to assist him with expelling the haole and all foreigners from all over the Nation of Japan. However those words were not verified, and the thoughts amongst the newspapers in China are unsure about the veracity of the words of that proclamation.

[It was just recently the 150th anniversary of the Namamugi Incident (Richardson Affair), where a British national was killed for not dismounting his horse when encountering the oncoming procession of a daimyo, Shimazu Hisamitsu, which was a sign of disrespect. The West was not amused.

Newspapers were the major means through which Hawaii learned not only national news, but international news as well.]

(Kuokoa, 7/4/1863, p. 2)

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke II, Helu 27, Aoao 2. Iulai 4, 1863.