New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-08
JAPAN'S POLICY In CHINA
A japanese Editor Criticises II as Laek;..
in Frankness

Ukita, one of the intelectuals of Japan. ~.
just reached Washington. creating unu.n,I
interest here on account Of It's rare frsrk
ness and limitations of miseondue, by Jana,
in China. The "Taiyo" is one Of the leasi,,
magazines OF the Far East, ard is suupo,.s
by the cultured community Of Japan.
Revealing why China has hitherto h...
unable to trust Japan" DR.. Ukita saws;
There were, indeed, circumstances Ia.
justified the suspicious entertained BY -.
Chinese that Japan instgated the dissen,io,
between the North and the South, and th,,
she was secretly working for a partition a,
China.
ITO put the position in abstract term,
Japan's diplomacy toward China is shau.d 4,
accordance with the principle OF preserviD,
the integrity of China. as has freoue,,,
been declared by successive japanese vov
ernments, and there is not the least dor,.
that the japanese people. too, are unanimor,
in advocating this principle. The pol.v
however, admits of two interprets,ion,
namely, in wide and in a narrow sens,
There are cases where partition is even nse.,
sary in order to accomplish the ultimate al.
ject of preserving the integrity of state
1.-The Britain of the nineteenth century s.oo,
by the principle of preserving the integritvo,
Turkey, but as her line of diplomacy Al.
recognized the independence Of Greece :,
1890, and the independence Of Rumanis ss,.
bia and Montenegro at the Berlin Conferen,.
in 1877. Moreover, she conceded Au,.ri,,
jurisdiction over Bosnia and Herzegovi,.
while actually securing possession OF Cypr,
for herself.
Two interpretations Possible
"The preservation Of the integrity Of Chin.
too, is open TO two interpretations. Asa
matter of fact China is incompetent to pre-.
serve the integrity OF her principal eighteen
provinces without enlsting the support Of
outside powers. What Japan can assure the
Chinese people with complete confidence /,
simply that she can preserve the integrity Of
these principal Chinese provinces on join,
responsibility with China, provided that init
mate relations are established between the
two countries.
1.-THE reason why China has hitherto been
unable TO trust Japan is because the Chinese
could not understand the exact meaning o,
the principle of preserving the integrity Of
China advocated by this country. Jspsns
policy toward China has been very unstable
since the first revolution in 1912. 1t Is true
that she has occasionally declared to the
world her advocacy of the principle Of pre-
serving China's integrity, but her action.
have not been in strict accord with her
avowsls There were, indeed, circumstances
that justified the suspicious entertained BY
the Chinese that Japan instigated the dis
sension between the North and South. and
that she was secretly working for partition
of China.
at was the japanese who always acted ia
manner derogatory to tho promotion Of
Sino-Japanese friendship. the Importance o.
which they have so strenuously preached
The japanese government has invariably
failed TO foresee these bunders and to nip
the evils in the bud, and it has been at great
pains to make good the serious consequences
Of these mistakes. Thus far Japan has
adopted toward China diplomacy Of gross
inconsistency in preaching the necessity Of
Sino-Japanese friendship and az the same
time destroying all that China hoped for
To Formulate japanese Diplomacy
"The best way 20 establish the desired
intimacy between Japan and China is for the
japanese to formulate the guiding principle
of their diplomacy toward China. instead o.
grumbling about the attitude assumed by the
Chinese toward them. When once this guid'
ing principle is established, IL is most in
portant that it should be adhered 70 firmly
and unhinchingly In the Anglo-Japsneu
Alliance and in the Russo-,lapanese Agree.
ment both Great Britain and Russia look to
Japan for the maintenance Of peace in Ess
Asia, and consequently Japan is charged VIII
the mission of protecting China and India
This is probably what the so-called Asistie
Monroe Doctrine means.
"Now that Japan has deprived Germany o.
her colony at Tsing-tau, il need scarcely De
said that China cannot cede any territory on
the east coast 70 any country without mt
consulting Japan This point can be dei'
nitely settled after the war with the consent
of Germany. Whatever pledges may BE-
exacted from the Chinese government at n,
present time, they are, TO all intents and
purposes, scraps of paper. As China has no
real strength to meet foreign pressure, japan
must come to her aid in such an emergency
and must carry out policy appropriate foi
protecting her own interests with her actual
power. In this way Japan must ever pursa'
protective policy toward China.
1.-THE Japanese people have so far failed "
give any assurance 70 the Chinese people o.
the Manchurian and Monaghan questions
This is because Japan has been uncertain
about the policies contemplated By Britan
and Russia in regard to Tibet and the las,
SO long as the rivalry between Britain sh'
Russia in Central Asia continued the jay
enese were unable 10 commit themselves
any definite pledges concerning Chinese YER
ritory outside the eighteen provinces
plain language, the japanese were desr0u
OF maintaining the integrity OF China when
this was possible, but were persuaded OF 'n'
necessity of protecting their own Interests,
which is the ultimate object OF preserving
the integrity of China.
The Chinese Doubtful
"Now, however. we have the Anglo-Kuss''
Entente and the Russo-Japanese Agreehsn-
in addition TO the Anglo-Japanese Alhsn0e
and have public opinion in America ann
the initiative in approving the Asiate NO.
roe Doctrine. In these circumstances 'sp'.
has, for the first time, been put m pos''Vs