The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-12
CONDITIONS ARE WORSE
THAN TEN YEARS AGO
M. Kurino, Former japanese Min
lister to Russia, Talks of Korea
and Japan'S Intentions.
"YELLOW PERIL" IS NIL

PARIS, March I'm. Kurino, until re-
Gently Japanese minister at st. Petersburg,
has arrived here on his way to Genoa.
where he will embark on his way home.
Ii was at first thought that he might re-
main in Europe and so resume his post at
ST. Petersburg if the war was of short
duration, but his departure for Japan ap-
pears to indicate his belief in prolonged
hostilities.
The minister to-day talked interestingly
on some of the most, important general is
sues of the war. NJ Kurino recalled, in con-
nection with his recent departure from St
Petersburg, on the eve of war, the coinci-
dence that, as director of the political bu-
reau of the Japanese Foreign Office, he
was at Seoul on the eve of the outbreak of
the Chino-Japanese war.
1T is a remarkable fact" said the min
lister, that Korea is in a worse condition
now than when l was there ten years ago.
At that time a general state of ignorance
prevailed, owing to the governments pol
icy against modern methods. Recently the
French minister at Seoul passed through
St. Petersburg on his way TO Paris, and
told me that the conditions of ignorance
and incompetence were worse to-day than
when L observed the conditions For that
reason / do not think that the reports of
the Marquis Ito's visit TO Korea to intro
duce reforms is correct Count Inoue tried
that some years ago without success The
difficulty In the situation is that the intro
duction of the mere external forms of mod
ern civilization is not enough for what the
Koreans need is the substance, the essence
of modern methods, instead of more out
ward FORMS
When asked what would be the result of
the entrance of the japanese into Korea
the former minister said there would be no
attempt at territorial absorption but that
Japan would seek to better conditions i'm
Korea by raising the standard of Korean
civilization and promoting that country's
intercourse with the civilized world
NJ Kurno spoke with intense earnestness
concerning the noble nature of Japan's am
billions, and continuing, he said: Japan
therefore, does not seek to annex Korea or
politically dominate her. nor does she want
any other country TO annex Korea TO Ia
pans detriment and menace. The recent
Japanese Korean treaty protects Korea g
integrity and independence. Moreover. it is
not Japan'S policy to annex territory on the
mainland. In that respect Russia's policy
is exactly the reverse of Japans for wher-
ever Russia goes she seeks to annex and
acquire exclusive political domination. Ia
pan does not ask. and does not want poIiti-
cal domination. She wants to be one of the
liberal world powers, which are extending
the benefits of commerce, communica ton
and civilization.
Regarding Russia's contention that Ia
pans success would constitute a yellow
peril" NJ. Kurino said: Are not Janan's
interests the same those of the enlight-
ened white races? Moreover. China's 400 0OO =
600 people. which form large part of the
yellow race, could not be united in any
general movement for China is not a single
nation, but an assembly of small and com
paratively independent states having differ
ent interests. Therefore. the so-called vel
low peril is an impossibility, and even if il
were possible. Japan does not want separa-
ton from, but communication with the
white races of Europe and America