Contribution to the Japanese-Soviet Petroleum Company

    ‘In 1932, the Japanese Government entered negotiations with the Soviet Union, then the second largest oil-producing nation in the world, to drill for oil in Siberia and import part of its production to Japan.  Count Kojiro Matsukata of the Nippon Petroleum Company participated and founded the Japanese-Soviet Petroleum Company in 1933.  He advised the government officials to invite Kishi from Texas and add him to the delegation as an oil production expert.  Before the Pacific War broke out, the Nippon Petroleum Company awarded Kishi a large silver cup and thanked him for his, “patriotic service through oil.”’[2]