Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-30
THE FUTURE OF JAPAN
Her Market il Asia and the Pacific
Islands.
This Field Affords Room Enough for
Her Commerce without Any
Cause of Friction.

Count Okuma In the Ear East"
Though her history is traced to very old
times, Japan is quite young country, so
far as the experience of foreign inter-
course and the development of material
resources are concerned. Our forefathers,
self-satisf1ed and confined within the boun-
daries Of the Islands, had not the key to
open the store and to take out the treasure
beautifully bestowed by heaven. The need
ed key was given us with the advent Of
foreign intercourse. To show the resource
fulness of the country, 1t is not necessary
to enumerate various branches Of industry
promoted in it. 1t suffices to notice that
extending for nearly thirty degrees of lat
titude from the north to the south, facing
to the Pacific ocean on one side and to the
continent Of Asia on the other. and be-
ing longitudinally divided into two halves
by ridge of mountains. Japan Is favored
with a remarkable variety Of climates and
other physical conditions, and that the
people have only begun to take advantage
OF those conditions by the use of scientific
appliances. Though the new regime was
established thirty years ago. the first de-
cade of the present era was still time
of commotion. 1t Is, therefore. only
score of years since our people. really be-
took themselN eS to adopting the western
civilization and to developing the resources
of the country.
Japan has not only rich resources in the
II terror, but she has a wide field Tor her
activity outside the country. The landS
surrounding the Pacific ocean and the
countries of Asia constitute the best mar
ket for the future commerce OF the world.
There is room enough in this market Ior
Japan to have a share without causing
a friction with other nations. Geograph-
ically, Japan Is in very favorable s1tua-
tion,> and the nature of her people Is diff
ferent from that Of western countries, SO
80
profitably undertake in these parts of the
globe will naturally devolve upon our coun-
try men. Already the increase OF our trade
with countries of Asia and Australia has
been remarkable.
1t is not our desire to increase the terri
tories. In a country without free outlets
to the sea, territorial extension may be
an absolute necessity for the growth OF
the nation; but that is not the case IN
country surrounded by the sea on all sides.
For the Japanese the ocean Is the field of
activity. This field is, as matter Of
course, to be utilized in common by all the
nations of the world, only we hope to take
advantage Of our geographical position.
To be a factor In the development Of the
Pacific and the eastern Asia seems to be
the destiny of our nation. AS the future
of these regions Is full of hopes SO the fu-
ture of the Japanese is promising. Why,
then, should we be pessimistic as to en-
terrain anxieties about the present situa-
ton. even if there be temporary difficulties
But we must be always on the alert and
make efforts with more energy than ever
to continue and accelerate the progress we
have begun. All our undertakings and en-
terprises should be made with the eye to
the future and not according to the mere
convenience of the present. Special atten-
ticn should be paid to the improvement Of
intellect and moral character of our peo-
pie. for, after all, a nations permanent
prosperity can be based on no other founda-
ton. 1t Is particularly desirable to adapt
our moral standard to the new conditions
arising out Of the development of foreign
trade. Last of all, every means should be
employed to secure the peace of the world
in general, and of the far east in particu-
lar. Peace, above all things, is a necessary
condition for progress. Even the war with
China introduced into our finance certain
abnormal states which have made men of
pessimistic disposition quite uneasy. If we
take measures to improve our means of
national defense. 1t is in order that we
may feel absolutely sure against all posi-
BILE dangers and that we may pursue en-
tirely undisturbed our course of peaceful
progress.