The Sentinel=record., 1913-11-30
JAPANESE DIET IS CONSERVATIVE
COMING MEETING OF JAP CON GREss WILL BE FRIENDLY
 TO UNITED STATES.
Reaardless of the Recent Land Law Enactments in California and Other Western States.


 taches to the forthcoming session Of the Japanese die. in December. The year has been momentous politically on account of the trouble in China and the passage of the Alien Land Tenure Bill in California. These questions are likely to be reflected in parliament AnGAmerican speech es by chauyiuists are regarded as not unlikely. Considerable uncertainty as 70 the direction internal politics will take lends additional attraction to the sessions of the Assebbly
 Japans present government is con seryative. but the masses throughout Japan are eXerting a greater power in political life and their represeu- tatiyes in parliament will voice this tendency. The stuCent class as evl- denced by the recent attack before the Foreign Office gates over the Chinese question is making itself heard. The universally of education and incidentally the growing milu- ence of the Japanese woman are all things which must be reckoned with
 in determining the political future of Japan
 It is true that the conservative in- fluence of he Elder Statesmen and of what might be called the reactionar. les in general has steadily declined in charge from an oligarchy to a con stitutional monarchy But there is an old Japanese pro1erb which says "Consult-if only with your knees The Japanese is careful and conser- vatiye by nature At all times here fleets. consults and weighs before making any decision This funda- mental trait in the Japanese ebarac- ter, together with the predominatug reverence for the emperor and love of country are likely 70 prevent any plunge into dangerous radieahsm even if a new and more liberal cabi- net should come into power
 There are today five different pol tical parties or groups in Japan Ii
 is difficult to designate these groups as Conservatives. "Liberals' or
 Radicals" as one in the West, be- cause of the absence of essential diff. ferences in their platforms All are fundamentally devoted to Jhe con. summation of true constitutional regime The truth Of the matter seems that Japan's internal politics Is undergoing a period of transition. In the case of politics it is from the oligarchal regime controlled by the Elder Statesmen, into true coustiu- tional monarchy with parry govern meut The new order of things is till in embryo The political forces are there ready to be molded into de finite form
 The most important group in the Diet is the SeiyukaE which mjeh. ua called the conservative party of Jan. an It always takes a strong part in successive governments. and is oe hind the present cabinet The next in strength is .he party founded bg the late Prince Katsura, who believ ed that the Japanese ideals of gov ernmCnt could be best subseved b. introducing a strong responsible ,o the emperor His party platform Va- vaguely dedicated 70 attaining a tucI constitutional regime by advancing the welfare of the people of his tVo party idea and his party as it was essentially a personal movement The remaining parties include more or less radical groups known as tbo Kukuminto, and the Selyu Club wi.H the Independents voting al wil}
 More and more it is becoming e,i dent however, that the real potic.ca. divisions in Japan are not these 9ol itical groups by Satsuma and Chasau The men who buil. up the Japauesa navy came from Satsuma province and the creators of the army came from Choshu These two great poit teal forces are intensely active today always oYershaiowing any of the pol itical grouping referred 10 above.
 Whatever may be the influence of She session of the Diet upon the life Of the present ministry t appears probably that careful couservation will be the keynote of Japan's foreign policy for some time to come and that Japans attitude towards the United States will be based upon friendii- ness and cooperation Above all Japan seeks to expand her foreign commerce. To that goal the opening of the Panama Canal she realizes is her great opportunity