The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-02-04
RELIES ON our
SENSE OF RIGHT
Japanese Premier Fears No
Hostile Legislation.
HIS COUNTRY FOR PEACE

AAAS SOOANAANA xON AASL
Announces Intention Of Japan to
Keep Her People at Home in Order
to Develop National Resources and
Declares the Government Is Enforc-
ing in Good Faith the Restrictions
Placed on Emigration.
Toxic, Feb. f).-Speaking before the
lower house Of the diet Foreign Min
lister Komura outlined the foreign pol
icies of Japan in carefully worded
speech delivered before a full and at
tentive house The opening sentence
gave the keynote of the entire speech,
when Count Komura said: "The for
eign policy of this empire should have
as an object the maintenance Of peace
and the development Of national re-
sources"
After referring to Japan's relations
with Great Britain, Russia, France,
Germany and China the foreign min
lister dwelt at length upon the rela-
lions between Japan and America. He
said:
''The friendship of Japan and the
United States is traditional and it is
absolutely, essential that both main
tain unimpaired those sentiments of
o. w ct,
them by every means. Notwithstand-
ing the perfect accord which has al
ways existed regarding the aims of
the two countries in the Far East and
in the Pacific it appears that doubts
have been entertained in some quar-
tiers concerning the sincerity of the
intentions.
"1n order to remove this misunder-
standing the two governments have
deemed it advisable to exchange dip
lomatic notes, officially announcing a
common policy, which I am convinced
will be largely instrumental in pre-
serving the repose Of the Orient"
No Complications Feared.
with regard to the question of
legislation unfavorab1e to the Japa-
nese now pending in California the
imperial government is relying on the
sense of justice OF the American peo-
pie, together with the friendly dis
position Of the federal government,
and is confident that the question will
not lead to International complica-
lions.
"Japan, therefore, being on cordial
terms with all the powers, including
those, which have not been men
toned, it must be admitted that the
maintenance of peace, which is the
one principal object of our foreign
policy, is now practically assured;
and we are enabled to devote our en-
deavors to d the development of our
national resources The first point.
claiming our attention is the problem
of emigration.
"In view of the new International
conditions assigned to Japan it has
become necessary that our people, in
stead of scattering in foreign lands,
shall concentrate in the Far East,
! thus securing a united effort looking
[ to legitimate activities and avoiding
everything likely to obstruct the de-
velopment- Of international commerce
and industry.
! "These considerations have led the
government to follow an avowed pol
icy with respect to emigrants to Can
ada and the United States, enforcing
| in perfect good faith the restrictions
placed on emigration"
Opposition Attacks Policy.
The foreign minister's speech was
received with applause by the gov
! eminent side of the house, but Count
Hattori, an opposition member, imme-
diately began bitter and sensational
attack on the foreign policy of the
government. He said that Japan had
no determined foreign policies and
that this was shown by her present
! attitude toward America where Japa-
nese were denied an equal opportunity
and were even abused by Americans
| The recent events, he said, had
proved !. that the anti-Ja panese senti-
ment in America had not subsidized.
The speaker attacked particularly the
recently concluded agreement be.
tween Japan and America, saying he
believed the Japanese foreign office
was forced by the American govern
ment to sign the agreement in order
to prevent competition by the Japa-
-nese on the Pacific coast. He de
clared that Japan's dignity had been
injured thereby and he passionately
| urged the government to enforce the
principle of equal opportunity, which
alone would solve. the question of the
rights of Japanese in foreign coun.
tries. He said that even the presf-
dent of one country had denied Japa-
nese the right to travel, a right which
was theirs by treaty.
GOVERNMENT BRINGS SUIT