This is a memorial photograph taken when Marquis Ito Hirobumi and Count Inoue Kaoru visited the steel works as they were under construction. The photo was taken in front of the blast furnace, a symbol of modernization. It shows Ito Hirobumi, who helped bring about the realization of the blast furnace, and his partner Inoue Kaoru, as well as the engineers who worked to create integrated steel manufacturing, the latest technology of the time, and executives of the Chikuho Coal Industry Association, who were central to the industry's promotion. The memorial photo is a historical document that symbolizes the modernization of Japan. (All rights reserved. Photo provided by Nippon Steel Corporation Kyushu Works)