Excerpts in re: war with Japan:

Excerpt #1: "OUR FLEET'S GREATEST DANGER" (dated 01-10-1908)

"The reporter and historian are still confronted with the mystery of what confronted and destroyed Admiral Togo's Flagship. The Russians [missing piece] . . . Did Japan suffer loss from one of her own floating mines? Should we not now remember, now that our fleet is on the way to the Pacific, that the floating mine was Japan's most deadly weapon in her war with Russia?"

Excerpt 2: "CHASE S. OS[missing] WA[R?] [missing] THE JAPANESE." (date unknown, but seems to be from same paper/time, judging from the advertisements - this is a fragment)

"Chase S. Os[born?] has an abiding faith in the American navy as a fighting machine, a cheery confidence in its ability to whip anything of its size in the world. Reuterdahl may scare us into fits with alarmist accounts of defects in the construction of our warships, but as long as our admirals will not admit their errors neither will Mr. Osborn. We have the best ships and the best gunners in the world, he avers, and he proposes to turn them loose on 'monkey-faced Japs'." [The article drifts off and goes on] "... If the rest of the world can stand the Japanese it is to be presumed we can, too. The United States has not attained its present position by acting as a policeman for the rest of the world. If the Japanese isles lay in close proximity to our own shores, we might be tempted to extend the blessings of civilization (trusts, rebates, special [remainder missing]"

So in 1906 Japan was riding a wave of prestige, they were coming off the resounding victory over Russia in the Far East during the Russo-Japanese War.

The war had begun with a surprise attack on the Russian fleet in Port Arthur, where it was then mostly contained by various means(including mines) for the rest of the war. However the main naval episode of the war came in response. Russia assembled a motley collection of new and raw and old and tired warships and sailed them from the Baltic all the way to the Pacific in a voyage of tragedy and comedy in equal measures. When they finally arrived they were slaughtered by the IJN in the Battle of Tsushima. Teddy Roosevelt then hosted negotiations which would end the war resulting in major concessions for Japan and territorial gains. TR got a Nobel peace prize, and kept the Japanese from possibly securing an even larger share of the Russian Far East. Japan had also placed Korea firmly under its thumb by 1908, having been involved in some early regime change work, and securing the nation for its own sphere of influence. This was not all together a welcome development for many Koreans who would be stuck with Japanese rule in one form or another until 1945. So the sentiments are not surprising at all.

This was a wake up call to a new threat to Western dominance on the Far East, while Russia wasn't held in high esteem, that Japan could, with lots of British help, beat them was a shock to many. And caused a lot of pointed questions about capabilities in many powers with interests in the region.

Japan had developed a close relationship with Britain as it related to naval development, many of the IJN's warships were built in British yards or domestically to British designs including Togo's flagship the famous Mikasa. And while the alliance lasted through WW1(hence their involvement), as Britain found itself more interested in aligning with the US the relationship broke down. Particularly over Japan's desire for a defensive treaty that the UK saw as a possible snare to try to force the UK to aid Japan in a war against the US.

As for the immigration question I would suggest my post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5rfr2c/has_any_us_president_banned_immigrants_in_a/dd8pt5o/

Essentially while Japanese immigrants were seen as little better than the Chinese as part of the "Yellow Peril" that they had a strong state and one coming off a victory meant that the situation was much harder. And simply banning their immigration was a very risky solution.

For 50 years leading up to 1941, tensions had been growing across the Pacific, the Russo-Japanese War, and Immigration disputes were then some of the earlier sign posts that conflict was brewing between the US and Japan.

Excerpts referencing immigration/emigration:

Excerpt #1: "MY! HOW THE SUN DOES HATE ROOSEVELT" (dated 1908)

"Accusing President Roosevelt of double dealing with the Japanese in the matter of immigration, in order to win political support the New York Sun remarked that the president had proclaimed the Japs to be be admirable people but was dismayed to learn that labor men on the Pacific coast did not agree with him in the least. So he invited some "gentlemen of San Francisco" who were then at liberty but are since in jail [to the White House]. Following the visit, says the Sun, the president advocated Japanese exclusion. [. . .] Mr. Roosevelt has done what he has done openly and undisguised to secure his popularity with the law defying element of California. How much it may have pained him to dishonor his country for such a purpose we have no means of knowing." [Remainder missing]

Excerpt #2: OFFENSIVE ACT BY U.S - JAPAN WOULD HOLD EXCLUSION, SAYS AOKI (1908)

"San Francisco, Jan 4 - Viscount Aoki, retiring ambassador of Japan arrived here last night. He said Japan is willing to restrict emigration of her subjects but would consider as an offensive action any attempt by the U.S. to exclude Japanese from America or American possessions."

Excerpt #3 [my paraphrase], 1908

There's a blurb that's about half torn speaking about how a Korean nobleman has come to the US to be educated and will shake off the "Japanese Yoke" for us. I don't know what it's referring to, but the anti-Japanese sentiment is palatable.

I'm sorry -- as I'm handling these, they're literally falling apart so I'm going to stop and just paraphrase the others:

There are several other excerpts from around the same time referring to the Japanese "threat"; San Francisco Fire Department turning down gifts from the "Japs" and a few, in particular, that intrigued me - one was about "Japs" "invading Vancouver" and causing mayhem and the article then referred to the issue of immigration and some diplomatic issues between the US and Japan. Several refer to growing intolerance with "Jap" activities and sympathy with China. Still others refer to our need to be prepared to repulse Japan, but seem to be in the context of domestic issues regarding the labor force.

Any ideas? I'd quote more, but like I said - these are literally disintegrating and were not in good shape to begin with. PS: if anyone knows how to make these less brittle and keep them in better shape - PM me, please.