National Archives Ⅱ holds extensive records of general trading companies active in New York during the prewar period. These records were seized to assess Japan’s economic and military capabilities as a wartime adversary, focusing on companies that played pivotal roles in Japan’s foreign trade. While similar seizures occurred in other countries, the U.S. seized records from 14 trading companies, including Mitsui & Co. and Mitsubishi Corporation, as well as 5 banks. Collectively known as the “Seized Japanese Corporate Records in the U.S.,” these materials have been widely utilized in academic research.

This study examines the archival materials of the New York branch of Shōji（Okura & Co.）, which are part of these seized documents and provide vivid insights into the branch’s activities. For Shōji, the New York branch served as a key hub for transactions with the United States and as a gateway for expansion into Latin American markets. While some research on this topic already exists, this paper seeks to consolidate findings and shed light on the New York branch’s operations, contributing to a broader understanding of the role of general trading companies in the prewar era. Specifically, this paper focuses on the overseas life of OKURA Kirokuro, the eldest son of OKURA Kishichiro, president of the Okura Group.

OKURA Kirokuro was born on June 3 , 1910（Meiji 43）, as the eldest son of OKURA Kishichiro. He was the grandson of OKURA Kirokuro, the founder of the Okura Group, and graduated in 1935（Showa 10）from the Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Tokyo Imperial University. This paper highlights Kirokuro’s experiences in Europe and the United States shortly before the outbreak of World War II, based on archival materials related to the Okura Group housed at National Archives Ⅱ.

Kirokuro’s time in London and New York coincided with a critical historical period: the signing of the Tripartite Pact between Japan, Germany, and Italy in September 1940（Showa 15）and President Roosevelt’s reelection to a third term in November, which marked an intensification of U.S. support for Britain. During this time, public opinion in Europe and the United States grew increasingly hostile toward Japan, leading many Japanese businessmen in New York to return home, often citing family reasons.

Following the establishment of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association in Japan, Japanese residents in New York faced heightened scrutiny and were compelled to monitor and restrain their activities. The New York branch of Okura Shōji also operated under significant pressure, preparing for potential crises amid escalating economic sanctions and rising tensions.

In this challenging environment, OKURA Kirokuro, a third-generation leader of the Okura Group, relocated from London to New York and began his activities. Recognizing the importance of his role in the company’s future, the New York branch provided extensive support for his endeavors.

This situation reflected the historical precedent set by OKURA Kihachiro, the group’s founder, who had studied Western systems in the U.S. and Britain before establishing the Okura Group. Similarly, Kirokuro was expected to expand his perspective as the group’s future leader, a hope shared by all employees. This paper examines Kirokuro’s activities during this period in detail. Additionally, after graduating from Tokyo Imperial University, Kirokuro married Chiyoko Yamamoto, the granddaughter of prominent naval figure Gonbei Yamamoto. Meanwhile, the New York branch manager, Shigeyoshi Megata, was the second son of the renowned financier Tanetaro Megata. This paper also explores the dynamics of these elite family connections.

Taxonomy means to divide, classification means to collect. Dividing and collecting are polar opposite concepts, yet they are two sides of the same action. But there are big differences in the process. The former is a top-down process of dividing forces into battalions, companies, and platoons, as in the military, while the latter is a bottom-up process of collecting forces and then ranking them from small to medium to large.

We often hear that when local governments evaluate and select public documents, they are unsure whether they should discard them or keep them as archives. If it can’t be searched immediately, it’s not a classification. So which is easier to find?

The purpose of this paper is to raise issues about the filing methods used by local governments and to contribute to strengthening and streamlining the sorting of public documents.