A Promise between Tomitaro Makino and Jusha Tsumura ―On the Occasion of The Journal of Japanese Botany Centennial Anniversary―

Abstract

Tomitaro Makino launched The Journal of Japanese Botany in 1916 to encourage broad understanding and interest in botany in Japan. Jusha Tsumura the first to establish Tsumura Juntendo Inc. (currently Tsumura & Co.), built the Tsumura Laboratory and the medicinal plant garden attached to his company in 1924. He hoped to popularize accurate knowledge on traditional Kampo medicines for selection, use and production. The Tsumura Laboratory began to sell correct samples of crude drugs in 1925. When Makino’s Journal could not continue publication, Tsumura began to support its publication through the Tsumura Laboratory in 1926. Probably they cooperated through The Journal of Japanese Botany in order to expand accurate knowledge on plants and herbal medicines to the general public at that time. I presume that this was the implicit promise between Makino and Tsumura. Since their cooperation The Journal of Japanese Botany has continued to publish many fruitful results in botany and pharmacognosy.