The forthcoming arrival of the Japanese Mission was announced in several newspapers.4 The Iwakura
Mission left The Hague on 7 March for Berlin and was greeted on its way at the German border in
Bentheim. The mission, which had left Japan more than a year earlier with about 50 members, had become
smaller by this point, about 20 having already returned home. Besides the head, Iwakura, the four deputy
ambassadors were still with the mission, although news from Japan led them to consider whether some of
them should return as early as possible. Kido insisted on seeing Russia, but Okubo left after the visit to
Berlin.