THE race to be first to reach the Geographic South Pole in the early 20th century was, as is well known, a race between two explorers, Amundsen versus Scott, and two expeditions, Norwegian versus British. But not anywhere near as well known is the fact that there was a third country vying at the same time for the honour of being first to Antarctica’s centre – Japan.

The Japanese expedition had its genesis in the aspirations of one individual, an army reservist, Lt Nobu Shirase. His “Boys Own” adventure dreams of being first to reach the North Pole thwarted by news of claims by two separate American explorers Peary and Cook of having reached the Arctic pole, Shirase turned his attention to Antarctica. Notwithstanding a lack of enthusiasm from the Japanese government Shirase mounted an expedition with the patronage of a former prime minister Count Okuma and private donations.

Japanese expedition team (Source: coolantartica.com)

A race from behind
At the outset the Japanese Antarctic expedition was acutely at a disadvantage. The scheduled end of November departure for the expedition (actually didn’t leave Tokyo until 1st December 1910) was too late for the Antarctic. The vessel chosen, the Kainan Maru (meaning “Opener-up of the South” or “Southern Pioneer“) was half the size of Amundsen’s ship and only one-third that of Scott’s one. While the Kainan Maru‘s captain Naokichi Nomura was an experienced seafarer the crew of 27 contained no one with polar experience. The expedition’s dietary provisions for the trip were paltry and questionable, lacking pemmican, a high-energy mix of meat and lard preferred by the European expeditionaries.

After refuelling in Wellington, New Zealand, the expedition ship made its way through wild and stormy conditions to Antarctica where it found itself unable to land. With winter closing in and the ship in danger of being icebound and stranded, the Kainan Maru turned around and headed for Sydney to wait out the winter.

Making camp in Sydney harbour
The Japanese ship underwent repairs at Jubilee Dock in Balmain during its Sydney winter sojourn and the crew members themselves were permitted to quarter at Parsley Bay (photo – right) on the Wentworths’ Vaucluse Estate. The men established a camp there comprising a demountable wooden hut and canvas tents. The Japanese presence caused a bit of disquiet in the “Harbour City”…the Sydney press raised suspicions about their “real”motives, suggesting that it may be a cover for a spy mission, especially given that the encampment was not far from the South Head military establishment⦑a⦒ . Feelings antipathetical to the visitors subsided however after eminent Sydney scientist Prof Edgeworth David praised the Japanese men and formed a strong friendship with expedition leader Shirase.

The following season, reinforced by new provisions and resources including new personnel and a new team of Siberian sled dogs, the expedition returned to Antarctica with the stated aim of surveying and scientific discovery. This time a landing on the southernmost continent was successful. Shirase sent the the majority of his team off to explore King Edward VII Land, while he led a five-man “dash patrol” towards the Pole itself. Shirase’s party battled blizzards and reached the point 80° 5′ S before running low on supplies and abandoning the attempt in late January 1912. The expedition finally completed their return journey to Japan, in June 1912, a trek of 13,000-plus km.

Endnote: 15 minutes of fame and no fortune

Lt Shirase (centre) (Source: coolantartica.com)

Although Shirase briefly received a hero’s reception on return, the fame was ephemeral. The expedition was noteworthy in being the very first polar exploration by non-Europeans and in its managing to avoid any loss of life or serious injury to its personnel. It didn’t however come close to achieving its objective of reaching the South Pole, nor did it contribute much to polar science. The experience did not yield fortune for Lt Shirase, on the contrary he found himself burdened for the rest of his life with having to pay off the expedition’s outstanding debts.

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⦑a⦒ against a backdrop of growing western concerns that Japan was entering a phase of military expansionism following earlier foreign policy aggressions (wars with China and Russia)

Works consulted:

‘Scott, Amundsen… and Nobu Shirase’, Stephanie Pain, New Scientist, 20-Dec-2011, www.newscientist.com )

Hanna, Kim, Japanese Antarctic expedition camp at Parsley Bay 1911, Dictionary of Sydney, 2021, http://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/japanese_antarctic_expedition_camp_at_parsley_bay_1911, viewed 29 Mar 2023

Woollahra Library Local History Centre ‘Japanese Antarctic Expedition’, https://www.woollahra.nsw.gov.au/