Realted Themes : 4. Intelligence activities

・An underlined word or phrase in bold-faced type is linked to the Glossary of the Russo-Japanese War.

　In the Russo-Japanese War, battles were fought not only in armed conflicts but also in information gathering that influenced the tide of war.
　As for Japan, officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dispatched to various locations and military attache like well-known Akashi Motojiro as well as agents called "Gunji-Tantei (military agents)" were engaged in gathering information in foreign countries. Russian intelligence agents were also engaged in information gathering, and were called "Rotan (Russian Agents)" in Japan.

In this connection, the Center for Asian Historical Records stores the following materials.

1. From May 9, 1905 (38 year of Meiji) to September 20, 1905 (38 year of Meiji)
2. Losing special code book
3. The issue related to Hossariu, the former French consul
4. Sending of anonymous letter about the Russian spies

Please click the following image to see materials relating to the Russo-Japanese War and intelligence activities.

The Diplomatic Record Office of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

Title: May 9, 1905 (38th year of Meiji) to September 20, 1905 (38th year of Meiji)

Reference code: B03050330700

　The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan dispatched "investigators" to frontier districts of China like Mongolia and Xinjiang Province to investigate the local situations. Some of the materials contain a directory of the dispatched persons and a table of expenses.
　The survey results by investigators are compiled in "A report on inspection of Yili area in Xinjiang Province in Qing" (Reference code: B03050331700) and other materials.

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Source: National Institute for Defense Studies, Ministry of Defense	Title: Losing special code book Reference code: C02030239300
	An accident of missing a special code book took place in January 1904 (37th year of Meiji) just before the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War. According to the materials, the lost code book was not found after all.

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Source: National Institute for Defense Studies, Ministry of Defense	Title: The issue related to Hossariu, the former French consul Title: The issue related to Hossariu, the former French consul
	This is a notification sent by Vice Minister of Army to commanding officers of the military police. An ex-French consul named "Hossariu" is described with the remark "Watch this Man’s movements. " since "He contacts various people and seems to search out informations" within Japan.

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Source: National Institute for Defense Studies, Ministry of Defense	Title: Sending of anonymous letter about the Russian spies Reference code: C03020316400
	This is an anonymous letter sent to the Imperial Headquarters in 1905 (38th year of Meiji) describing that a certain person is a "Russian agent" and "a surprise house search would adduce the evidence."

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