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The first Annual Meeting of the Asiatic Society of Japan was held in room No. 19, at the Grand Hotel, on Wednesday, the 8th October, 1873, at 8.30 p.m.

On taking the Chair, the President, R. G. Watson, Esq., explained the reasons which had led to the deferment of the annual meeting till the present time; which was, however, in fact, the true anniversary of the Society’s commencement of actual work. He called on the Secretary to read the minutes of last meeting—which were approved; and also the Report of the Council of the Society—which was as follows:—

In presenting their First Annual Report, the Council of the Asiatic Society of Japan are checked in the congratulations which they had hoped to present to their constituents, by the neccessitynecessity [sic] for announcing the heavy loss sustained by the destruction, in a recent fire, of the printed matter intended for the first number of the Society’s journal.

The loss however is not irretrievable, since it will be possible to reproduce most of the articles, intended for publication; through not without a delay of some few weeks. This will somewhat retard our entering into relations with other Societies of similar character, and obtaining their publications in return for our own; but no great harm to the Society need be felt from this slight check to our progress: certainly none will be felt if we are stirred up to greater determination that the objects we have in view shall be the more vigorously prosecuted.

As evidence that interest has not been lacking, the Council refer to the following List of Papers read before the Society at its regular Meetings during the past twelve months.


 * 1.—On the Loo Choo Islands, by Mr. Satow.
 * 2.—On the Hyalonema Mirabilis, by Dr. Hadlow.
 * 3.—On the Streets and Street-Names of Yedo, by Mr. Griffis.
 * 4.—On the Ascent of Fujiyama, by Mr. Hodges.
 * 5.—Five Short Papers on the language of Loochoo, by Japanese Students.