Rare first Italian edition of the annual report and letter on the events that had taken place in Japan during the years 1609 & 1610, especially regarding the Jesuit mission there. The letter (pp. 3-147) begins and ends with an extended account of shipping activity. There is also a brief general assessment of the political situation in Japan and foreign relations with China, as well as a systematic review of all the missions city by city.
The letter, thought to be signed from Nagasaki, was written by the Portugese Jesuit priest João Rodriguez (1558-1633), also called Giram, Giron, Girão or Roiz, and addressed to Claudio Acquaviva, General of the Jesuit order.
Father Rodriguez was admitted to the Jesuit order in December 1576. He left for Japan in 1583 and died there in 1633. He wrote a number of works on Japan, including a useful grammar of the Japanese language. He wrote several annual reports, for the years 1604-1606, 1609-1612, 1624 and 1626, this last in the Lettere annue del Giappone de gl' anni 1625-1627. In 1623, Iyemitsu, the new shogun of the Tokugawa clan, brought new vigor to the anti-Christian edicts issued by his predecessors. That same year 500 Catholics, missionaries as well as converted Japanese, were executed.
With the bookplate of the Collegio Romano on the front paste-down; three library stamps on the recto and one on the verso of the title-page. Front hinge loose, otherwise in good condition. Alt Japan Kat. 1309; Cordier, Japonica, col. 268/2; De Backer & Sommervogel VI, col. 1972, item 7; ICCU, FERE 003062 (9 copies); Laures 309; USTC 4022844 (6 copies); WorldCat (3 copies).