Stockholm- A rare first edition of Swedish natural scientist Carl Linnaeus's pioneering book Systema Naturae is to be exhibited in Japan during the upcoming state visit by Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, officials said Friday. The Swedish royals were Monday to begin their state visit. On Wednesday, an exhibition on Linnaeus was to open at the National Science Museum in Tokyo and would be visited by the Swedish royals and their host Japanese Emperor Akihito.
In May, Emperor Akihito was slated to visit Sweden as part of the 300th anniversary celebrations of the birth of Linnaeus, who published 12 editions of Systema Naturae where he classified and named animals, plants and minerals.
One of his students, Carl Peter Thunberg, travelled to Japan and in 1784 produced the first description of the nation's flora in Flora Japonica.
Uppsala county governor Anders Bjorck, chairman of the National Linnaeus Commission, said the Systema Naturae copy from 1735 was "one of the jewels of our national cultural crown."
The 14-page volume was believed to be the only copy of Linnaeus's works from his own library that still remains in Sweden.
The Swedish royals were also to be accompanied by Foreign Minister Carl Bildt and Health and Social Affairs Minister Goran Hagglund along with a delegation of Swedish business leaders.
