Evening star., 1914-08-23
Japan HAS GRUDGE
AGAINST GERMANY
Still Bitter Over Kaiser's Action
After Island Empires
War With China.
STAND TO BE EXPECTED
DESPITE ENGLISH TREATY
Sir Valentine Chirol Discusses Causes
for In-Feeling Between Nippon
ese and Teutons.

LONDON, August "a. 1886 p.m.-'F'rom
my fairly intimate knowledge Of the
Japanese l felt certain that as soon az
war broke out they would join In driving
the Germans out Of Kiaochow." said
Sir Valentine Chirol, former director of
the foreign department of the Times. in
a statement on the situation tonight
Sir Valentine was in the diplomatic
service for a long time and has Travelled
extensively. He has written much on the
far eastern question and Is looked upon
as an authority whose words carry
weight in all the chancelleries Of Europe.
1.-The japanese" he continued. would
probably have done it even If there had
been no Anglo-Japanese treaty, and even
hold back popular feeling would have
insisted. The share which Germany took
with Russia and France In compelling the
Japanese to evacuate Port Arthur in 1895,
after their victories over China, never
has been forgotten or forgiven.
Prince Ito's Statement.
II was in Japan then and in the course
Of conversation with Prince Ito. that
great statesman, usually SO retlcent and
reserved, brought his fist down on the
table and exclaimed: Germany we shall
never forgive! Russia looks upon US as
a future rival in the far east. France
is. Of course, her ally and has important
possessions and ancient interests in east
ern Asia; we can understand their ac-
don. But for Germany, who always pro-
fessed such genuine friendship, and has
no special interests in these regions, to
join hands with them and stab us in the
back-her Intervention WAS odious and
gratuitous.'
Moreover. Japan believed, 1 really
think. that Germany instigated Russia.
Count Okuma, the present premier. says
SO in his book Fifty Years OF Modern
Japan, and I have no doubt 1t is SO, for
right up to the Russo-Japanese war 1t
was part Of the German emperor's world
policy to encourage Russia in all her
her position in Europe and intensity
Anglo-Russian antagonism.
U1timatums Are Similar.
Compare, too. the text of Japan 8
ultimatum to Germany with the text of
the ultimatum addressed by Germany to
Japan in 1895. 1t is clearly a direct
paraphrase. The curious expression that
the Japanese government believes 1t to
be its duty to give advice to the i'm
draw from Kiaochow, Is borrowed al
most textually from the 1895 ultimatum
which may be described as advice given
to Japan to renounce possession of
Liao-Tung peninsula as new proof Of
sincere friendship
''The bitter irony with which japan,
after nineteen years. now turns the
tables upon Germany speaks for itself.
Japan has given definite under
standing. not only that the sovereign
rights of China over the territory leas-
ed by her to Germany shall not be cur
tailed. but that the territory itself shall
eventually be restored to her. Thanks
also to the Anglo-Japanese alliance.
Japan is ready to conf1ne her operations
Count Okuma has pledged Japan to
take no action which could give third
parties uneasiness-
Purpose Of japanese.
China the root of German influence. and
1 am perfectly well aware that any action
which would estrange public opinion in
the United States or the dominions is in
compatible with the Angio-Japanese alli-
ance, which was specially revised only
three years ago, SO as to exclude such
possibilities, and positive assurances have
been given all neutral powers having pos
sessions in the far east.
Japan, no doubt, wishes to secure her
seat in the council of the powers when
the war ends and also to increase her
prestige with China. But as far as the
people of Japan are concerned, 1t Is
memories of past injuries, rather than
dreams of future ambitions, which at
present fill their minds"