The La Jara chronicle., 1905-12-08
HON. EKI HIOKI
Secretary of the Japanese Embassy.


attitude of that nation in her future
industrial and commercial life. Mr.
IIioki lays special emphasis upon the
frank and authoritative disavowals OF
the frequently-reported ambition OIL
Japan TO absorb the Philippine Islands
for her own people.
For the sake of argument" SAID
Mr.. Hioki, laying aside entirely lor
the moment consideration of the mo
tive of japan regarding the present
subject, let me ask you a question.
Can YOU believe that this great Amer
lean people who glory in their national
spirit in their gigantic strength, III
their boundless wealth, in their mar
velous development, and look forward
with proud and confident anticipation
to the time when they shall be the
first in the race civilization has set
for man to run, would allow her flag
to be lowered, be it in the Philippines
or anywhere else which legitimately
belongs to her. by any hands but hers?
No, most emphatically no. That is
the spirit with which you cling TO
your new possessions in the Pacific
and that ought to be the spirit of the
people who respect honor and justice.
Would Mean Gigant War.
"And who can better understand
that spirit of the Americans than the
japanese? Therefore, II Japan har-
bored such a sinister design as is at
tributed to her, she must be prepared
to plunge in a war far more gigantic
than the one just ended against ma
ton to which she owes much that
she is today and to whose people she
owes that moral and financial support
so unreservedly given at the most
critical period in her history. No,
the Philippines are not WORTH the sac
rifice of such valuable friendship as
that of America and the enormous
losses in men and money which such
a war would necessarily entail Nor
is Japan in a position to carry on an
other costly war, but for self-defense.
For Open Door in China.
"The increased prestige of Japan
turned the eyes of the world toward
the problem of what influence Japan
will WELD over China. Some people
go so far as to assert that Japan
will control China, proclaim the Mon
roe doctrine for Asia. and drive out
from the East all the white devils
and eXterminate the Western intlu
ences within its borders.
without questioning either the
value of the principles contained in
the so-called Monroe doctrine or its
applica bility to the Eastern situation
at present, l can simply say that such
an idea has not entered into the Japa-
nese mind and such a policy has not
seen even the symptoms of formation.
For the maintenance of the integrity
and independence of China, Japan
Joined hands with Great Britain. For
securing equal opportunities in China,
Japan lent her eager efforts to the
United States to make the open door
policy effectively operative.
Competition with America.
ut is absurd" continued Mr.. Hioki,
'to say that in the course of a few
years American goods will be crowded
out of the Chinese market by Japa-
nese competition. The main ground
upon which rests this apprehension is
that Japan has cheap labor at com.
mand. But labor in Japan does not
remain cheap. The effect of the Chi
ma a-Japan war was to double the
price of labor, and the war with Rus
sia must raise 1t much higher. In
spite of these disadvantages Japan
must develop her commerce and indus.
try, and she will have to compete
with all the world. friend or foe. Her
commercial war will be fought just
as fairly and squarely as the real war
She asks no favor from China that is
not granted to the entire world. She
stands for the open door and, in the
words of your great President, "A
square deal"
American Capital Welcomed.
Japan welcomes capital and mater
1al from any country. The United
States is supplying materials for i'm
portant Japanese industries; why can
not she supply the capital? Why can
there not be a commercial alliance he
We are willing to divide a fair share