仮名文字協会趣意書

国家将来の為めに本邦現在の文字を何とか便利なるものに改良する事は現今日本人たる我々の前に横はれる大責務である。勿論此事業は短時日に成就し得る性質のものでは無いが、さりとて漫然放擲して顧みざれば何時になつても成就の期なく子孫に対して吾人は不親切の誹を免れない。

故に今より出来る丈け此目的に向つて研究と準備とを進むるを要する。

然し此の大事業は到底少人数の力では為し遂げ得らるべきもので無い。必ず多数の識者や憂国者の同情と協力とを仰がねばならぬ。

因て私は茲に仮名文字協会を設立し今後有力者の援助を得て左の如き方針を以て此事業に一歩を進めたいと思ふ。

一、仮名の活字を研究改良し、且つ其得たる優良の字体を以て種々の大さの活字を製作し以て如何なる印刷にも差支なからしむる事。

英仏に於ては活字の種類は無数にある。我仮名活字も亦少くも数十種なくては実用に適せぬ又字体も逐次改良工夫を要する。

二、仮名の活字の使用を勧むる事。

学生其他種々の団体又はホテル等に仮名の活字を供給し、其印刷物に此活字が適するや否やを験したいと思ふ。

三、仮名文字を以て印刷せる文書を世間に拡むる事。

我国在来の書物又は新しき稗史小説子供の読む絵本の類を仮名の活字にて印刷し多数の人殊に児童に仮名文字を見慣れしむる事を力めたい。

四、仮名文字の『タイプライター』を製作する事。

仮名文字の効果は『タイプライター』によりて著しく発輝せられるゝから、仮名の『タイプライター』を作り、当初は先づ児童の娯楽用として次は簡単なる事務用として成るべく広く之れが使用を奨励したいと思ふ。

五、其他。

右の外種々の方法を講じて我子孫が将来自然に漢字を廃し得る様準備と基礎を作る事に勉めたい。我国の将来を慮り右の趣旨と努力に御同情の方は本会に入会して、一臂の力を副へられんことを切望します。

追て本会は当分の間便宜上本部を大阪に置くも将来は中心を東京に移したき予定です。

大正九年十一月一日

山下芳太郎

兵庫県武庫郡山芦屋

大阪東区広小路町十六番地

仮名文字協会

一、正会員 一ヶ月壱円

一、賛助会員 一ヶ月五円以上任意の申込額

一、名誉会員 本会の事業に対し特別の援助を与へたる人但し本会の推戴による。

It is a great obligation lying before us, the Japanese, to somehow improve the characters of this country's present use to convenient ones for the national future.

Needless to say, this enterprise, by its nature, can not be accomplished in a short period of time. Even so, if I give up this enterprise, it will never be accomplished, and I cannot escape from the posterity's charge of my unkindness.

Therefore, I am required to advance research and preparation toward this goal as much as possible from now.

However, this big undertaking is never completed by power of a few people. I have to ask many intellectuals and patriots for sympathy and cooperation.

Therefore, I hereby establish the Kana Character Association and get assistance of influential people and advance one step to the enterprise with the following policies.

1. Research and improve kana printing types; and manufacture printing types of various sizes with the obtained superior fonts, so that suitable katakana types are available for any kind of printings.

   There are innumerable variations of printing types in Britain and France. Our kana type should have at least tens of varieties for practical use. Character style requires continuous improvement.

2. Recommend use of kana printing types.

   I would like to supply kana printing types to students, various organizations, and hotels, and to find out whether kana printing types are suitable for their printings.

3. Spread in the world documents printed with kana characters.

   I would like to print ordinary books, novels, and illustrated books for children with kana types, and to have many people, especially children, used to kana characters.

4. Develop kana character typewriters.

   Since the effect of kana characters is remarkably demonstrated with a typewriter, I would like to make a kana character typewriter and to recommend this first for children's amusement purpose, next for simple office work purpose, as widely as possible.

5. The others.

   I would like to take various measures to establish preparation and foundation, for the posterity to abandon use of Chinese characters smoothly in the future.

I earnestly desire people considering the future of our country and having sympathy with the aim and effort of the Association to join and aid the Association.

Postscript: Although the Association has its head office in Osaka for present convenience, it will be centered in Tokyo in the future.

November 1, 1920

Yoshitaro Yamashita

Yama Ashiya, Muko County, Hyogo Prefecture

Kana Character Association, 16 Hirokoji, Higashi Ward, Osaka

• Regular member — monthly fee of one yen
• Supporting member — monthly fee of arbitrary amount, but more than five yen
• Honorary member — person who gave special assistance to the enterprise, and recommended by the Association