Kokumin no Tomo (国民之友; The People's Friend) was a Japanese language political and general interest magazine that existed between 1887 and 1898.
[1][2] This was reflected in the magazine’s motto, printed as its subheading - “Seiji shakai keizai oyobi bungaku no hyōron” 政治社会経済及文学之評論 (Political, Social, Economic and Literary Critiques).
[6] Several examples of the ancient and modern Eastern and Western poems were first featured in one of these supplements dated August 1889 which are called Omokage, verses emerged in the Meiji period.
[6] Kokumin no Tomo was the first Japanese magazine to feature a review section, providing critical coverage of recent publications.
[7] An English version of Kokumin no Tomo, titled The Far East, was published from 1896-1898[8][9] Regulars contributors to Kokumin no Tomo included Yamaji Aizan,[10] and Mori Ōgai, who contributed an article to the magazine almost every month between April 1889 and 1892, including one of his most famous stories - Maihime 舞姫 (The Dancing Girl) .