Arai Ryoichiro

Arai Ryoichiro (新井 領一郎) (August 31, 1855 – April 10, 1939) was a Japanese businessman.

He helped to build trade relationships between the United States and Japan, especially in the silk industry.

[2] In March 1876, Yukichi Fukuzawa advised Arai and five other men to go to New York City to promote trade.

While living there, Arai studied English at the Plymouth Institute in Brooklyn Heights.

He didn't want to renegotiate so that he could keep Richardson's trust, because Japanese silk merchants had a bad reputation at the time.

[4] Arai was elected to the board of governors for the Silk Association of America in 1901, and was the first Asian to hold that position.