Two admirals and six generals surrounding YAMAGATA Aritomo, on his inspection tour to Mukden, Manchuria (fourth from left is OYAMA Iwao) (from L to R, KUROKI Tamemoto, Commander of 1st Army, NOZU Michitsura, Commander of 4th Army, YAMAGATA Aritomo, General Chief of Staff, OYAMA Iwao, OKU Yasukata, Commander of 2nd Army, NOGI Maresuke, Commander of 3rd Army, KODAMA Gentaro, Manchurian Army General Chief of Staff, KAWAMURA Kageaki, Yalu River Army Commander) 26 July 1905 (Meiji 38) Papers of OYAMA Iwao, #62-18

After the Hokushin Incident was resolved, Russia continued to occupy Manchuria, and its influence started to penetrate Korea. In response, Japan concluded the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, but its negotiations with Russia broke down. On 8 February 1904 (Meiji 37), troops temporarily dispatched from Japan landed in Inchon in Korea, occupying Seoul the following day. Two days later, on 10 February Japan declared war on Russia.

This document comes from the notes made by OYAMA Iwao, Army Chief of the General Staff during of the Russo-Japanese War, who was engaged in directing strategy. In June, he was named Commander-in-Chief of the Manchurian Army and sent to battle. His notes depict the conditions during the occupation of Port Arthur.