Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-06-04
DISSATISFIED JAPAN.

e Japanese politics just now present a curious
spectacle The ministry which yielded to
world sentiment against pressing its most
drastic demands upon Japan is the target for
the bitterest abuse and vituperation any Jap
anese ministry has faced in years.
Baron Kato has been singled out as tile cen
ter of the target Kato conducted the diplo-
matte negotiations with China. He voiced,
through the minister at Peking Mr. Hioki,
those famous twenty -one demands" which
startled the world and aroused China to fight
ing pitch. Finding that these demands could
not possibly be carried through in full, he modi-
fled them. China accepted with apparent re-
luctance Then the storm broke in Toxic. -
Kato and the ministry were accused OF yield
ing basely to China; of subsequently submit
ting to false sentiment. Japan had been dream
ing dreams of a new empire across tie yellow
Sea, dominated politically and commercially If
not martialy by the chosen men Of the Elder
Statesmen. When it was learned that Japan
had radically modified her demands, the OPP
position began to heckle Kato and, with char
acteristie japanese Readiness, has started mass
meetings and fomehted disturbances OF various
kinds.
When Japan was pressing the demands there
was widespread criticism of the ministry; when
she ceased to press the demands the criticism
grew in volume and acerbity.
For the purposes of Japanese diplomacy, the
exact nature of the demands was kept from the
Japanese people for a long time after the rest
of the world had pretty good idea of the ex-
tent to which Toxic expected TO dominate the
iunwieldy Young republic. The Japanese peo-
pie were fed day after day, through the inspired
press. upon the statement that Japan was NOV
ing principally to protect China from the ra-
pacity of European powers; that while Toxic
expected to gain commercial supremacy, China
would. be safeguarded as a political entity. 1t
was argued that Japan was in positive danger
unless China were strengthened by Japanese
advice and assistance.
So that when Japan slowly learned how the
original demands had been modified, the Japan
csc people felt that this modification was not
only a barrier to commercial progress but an
imminent danger to Japan's freedom from
menace by Europe.
Premier 'Okuha is not likely 70 fall. His
position with the people is strong. he is
popular man. Kato may be forced from the
cabinet Americans who know Kato are In
clined to hold him blameless, but the truth is
that the whole course Of Japanese diplomacy
in the negotiations with China has been dang
erous. From the first an effort was made to
keep the negotiations and the nature of the de
mahds absolutely secret. This failed because
China wisely allowed tile demands to reach the
public. knowing that their drastic character
would at once raise a storm of protest against
Japan. The Japanese foreign office made its
mistake in yoicing demands which could not be
sustained by outside public opinion when they
came to public knowledge. Then when the IN
evitable modification came there was support
neither at home nor abroad.
The immediate disturbances in Japan need
be no surprise There is behind the Japanese
government no such tradition of stability as
obtains in Europe or America. japanese minis
tries rise and fall almost as frequently as revo-
buttons occur in Central and South America.
The 0kuma ministry is but year old. Japan s
stable figure is the dynasty. The ministry is
at the mercy of people which in public
affairs is so adaptable and changeful as to APP
proach the volatile. Japanese experience with
representative government is as yet too brief
and too limited to teach the lesson that frequent
zehange without organized system is disastrous
to administration.