The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-07-28
JAPAN IN NO HOSTILE MOOD
Marquis Ito Denies the FigarO's
Sensational Statement.
NOT on A MISSION OF WAR
I'm the United States for
the Mikado's Government During
the War with China Strengthened
Bouds of Friendiiness-Conc
About Commercial Interests.

New York, July 2S.-The Herald today
! publishes the following dispatch from Paris:
nc war should ultimately break out be-
tween the United States and Japan it will
be in spite OF the Marquis Ito. Personally,
as well as politically, the former prime
minister OF the japanese Empire is strong
| friend 10 America. He has visited the
United States five times: is thoroughly
familiar with its Constitution, and &C
Quainted with its prominent men. His
opinion is that no conflict is possible be-
tween the two countries
lin the first place." said the Marquis
! Ito, when intervie wed by Herald cor
! respondent, IL wish you to contradict the
81 ateInent that 1 am here charged with an
official mission to strongly protest In the
name of my government against us'ir-
patton big with peril. Nothing could be
further from the truth. The statement is
inexact in every particular. Not only have
no official mission In Europe now, but
/ never even had any, nor was I ever
charged with such duties by the Japanese
government since / was in Paris.
Until TODAY | have not seen a single
iournaliss, consequently i could not pos
sibly have made any such statement
1t is equally Impossible that any OF the
gentlemen in my encourage could have been
responsible Tor It, have never spoken
with them about the Hawaiian question.
They do not know what are my view sabout
il, or even IL 1 had any views.
s'I never declared to my friends. as
Figaro reports, that Japan, who had TO
contend with much more serious dangers
at home in the war with China, will go To
the extreme limit with the United States
Not only, I say, did I never make
such a remark to anyone, bot j even am
of the totally opposite opinion. / be-
leve firmly that the Hawaiian question
viii lie settled without the peaceful re-
lations between Japan and the United
States being disturbed in the least"
AT this present moment i an enjoying
a holiday. have absolutely no official
duties or official mission. am free TO
go where will. when I will, and to follow
tic impulse OF my own pleasure. So far
as my stay in or ms visit TO any European
capital is concerned, came to Europe as
one of the suite attached TO r rince Arisuga-
wa. who represented the Emperor at the
the jubilee ceremonies in England. That
oommemoration being over. the prince has
returned to Japan. an d my duties, only
nominal at any time, are now entirely at
an end-
1T has been stated that I have been
70 Spain to arrange terms for mutual
support In the attitude OF Spain and
Japan vis-a-vis tie United States. This
the emperor bestowed an order ON the
King OF Spain. The insignia was never
sent as IL was not convenient at the time
for anyone OF sufficiently high rank To
leave Japan: but the visit OF Prince Aris
ugawa to Europe gave the Emperor the
coca sion he had been looking for, and so,
taking advantage of the opportunity,
the prince went to Spain to present the
order to the King, and I. as a matter
OF course, went also: but although / met
the foreign minister and all other officials.
the relations OF Japan with America were
never alluded 10, and I never preached the
subject of SPANS difficulties in Cuba.
siInila RI ymy vid ito the Ducde Mendes was
only prompted by politeness, and was an
acknowledgment OF the oourtesyhe showed
NE at San Sebastien. You see upon
such slender ground big rumors are built.
Now then, so far as regards the Ha
waiian question, you must see have no
official opinion to give, but speaking
merely rs a japanese gentleman I am quite
willing TO discuss the question. In the
first place, then. I do not think it posi-
BILE that any opposition manifested in
Japan 10 annexation of the Sandwich Is
Ia INV ho ted
more extended form than a mere protest
made -reremher this point-made in order
that the interest of Japan in those islands
may rot suffer injury. The japanese are
bound bysentiEnent and sympathyto Ameri-
cans from the very beginning OF modern
Japan. II is America that has gwen her
every marked friendliness. encouragement
and support. There is not a single Euro
pean country that has manifested such a
strong feeling for Japan as has the United
States from Our very first.
The generous sympathy America gave
us during the war with China strengthened
the very bonds OF friendliness There seems
TO be an idea that Japanese are seeking a
quarrel with the outside world: that their
success with China made them ambitious.
but you must not forget that the war with
China was broughta bout byunavoidablecir-
but In the case OF the United
states the question is quite different.
ANY little feeling of irritation there
may be felt by anyone I'm Japan against
Americans is due not to Hawaii. but to the
fact that japanese goods have been so
heavily taxed In the United States. This
however. is a commercial difficulty. not
political. 1t is one that exists every
time one country taxes the produce of
another