, 1885-06-25
yApANesE POLITICS.


What a Prominent Native Says of the
Three Great Parties In the Empire.
Boston Clobsl
A prominent japanese gentleman, en-
gagged in the study OF American affairs,
WIS interviewed in regard to japanese
politics and religion.
There are, he said, three political
parties in Japan, the two most promi-
nent being the Juito, fayoring a republic
and the i onkonto, fayoring the empire.
The latter party is in favor Of keeping
all titles as they are at present; and the
Juito party wishes them done away with
altogether. The third party, the kaish-
into, is opposed TO everything con
nccted with the present govern
ment, and wants a government
modelled after European and Amer
lean ideas. The fight between tho Kon-
kentos and the Juitos has been very bit
ter for many years; but the Konkentos
have obtained the upper hand, and some
Of the prominent Juitos are now in
prison or abroad.
The utterances Of the Juitos, which
may DO likoned 10 Communists, are
considered reasonable, and most of
their meetings are broken up by the
police. A very large percentage Of them
are young men, including many lawyers
and students. They are headed by a
famous general, stagaki, who served
under the empire until the revolution OF
1858. The konkentos include all the
highest officers under the empire. The
head Of the kaishentos is the Hon.
Okuma, the famous economist and ex-
minister of finance. The konkentos,
having most Of the military and police
power, and controlling the press, are,
of course, decidedly the most powerful
Tho Juitos have started several
papers. but some OF them have been
stopped and their editors put IN prison
ten years. The leading paper in Toxic
Times. Tho leading Kaishinto paper Is
the Akebono Shinbon Morning sum,
and the most influential Juito organ is
the Choya shinbon DAILY Globe. All
the leading cities have papers, there
Icing nearly 5000, all told, in the
empire. The total population OF Japan
is about 86, 900, 900. Approximately,
the konkentos number 1000, 600, the
kaishintos 100, 600 and the Juitos 5000.
The balance go from n party to the
other from day to day. They take up a
konkento paper, read an article that
they like, and espouse Konkento prins
ciples. The next day they peruse a
Kaishinto publication. and become, for
the time being, a Kaishintos. The
Juitos, being looked upon rs revolu-
t%ionists, comparatively few dare to side
with them openly.
AS will be seen, politics are still very
young in Japan. The present emperor,
Mikado Mutsuhito. has been in power
since the revolution in 1885. He sue
cceded his father in the control of the
government by birth, and succeeded, by
force of arms, to the military power
which had been for 200 or 300 years in
the family Of Tykoon, who was deposed
by the revolution. Tykoon, now about
81 years OF age, is living quietly in
Sidsuoka, n small country town. The
revolution which deposed him resulted
In the loss Of about 100, 900 lives.
The church has but little power in af-
fairs OF state. The principal beliefs are
the Shinto, or original religion Of Japan
Buddhism, which came from China 500
or 900 years ago. and the Christian
beliefs, introduced early in the seven
tenth century. OF the latter belief,
the Roman Catholics had the ascend
ency for a century or more, but after
the religious wal Of Amakusa they were
largely driven out Of the empire, most
OF them taking refuge on Amakusa ISL
and. ! uring the last twenty years the
other Christian denominations, as Con
gregational, | %nitariau, Episcopal, Bap-
fist and Methodist, have built many
churches and obtained a strong foot
hold in the empire. Of the denomina-
tons mentioned, the Congregational
seems to the most popular.