Norwich bulletin., 1918-10-21
Friend|iness of
 Japan is Pledged
Statement by Takashi Hara, Iapan's First Commoner Premier.

Tokio, Thursday. Oct. 1O.-(By The A. p TakashI Hara. Japans first commoner premier and leader Of the aelyukWa1 party, said today, in his first statement of his policies, that he and his colleagues would constantly labor on the future questions arising cut of the present war. Although the alliance with Great Britain would re- main the cornerstone of Japan's for elgn relations, he said, he wished to emphasize that hls special effort would De to promote friendly re.ations with the United States.
 Please tell that to the American leople as convincingly as you can,' he said. because my colleagues ani keenly desire to see Japan and America brought closer together and every shadow of misunderstanding re- moved"
 | With democratic simplicity and di- rectness. Premier Hara discussed frankly all questions put to h1m and ] produced the impression that Japan, which for the last fifty years has been
 largely ruled by bureaucrats. has en- | tered upon a new and significant pe-
 riod of constitutional progress, Tn which popular opinion is more effec-
 lively to guide the nations policies.
 Beginning life as a newspaper re- porter, Hara's attainment to the Lre-
 miership is regarded as proving that tl.e time has arrived when in Japan, as in America, any citizen can hope 10 climb to the places of highest re- sponsib4lfty.
 Premier Hara pointed out that pre- vious attempts to stabhsh the party
 system of government had been made
 but called attention to the fac. that
 the present ministry was the first to have come ino power on so c-early
 based an idea of parties.
 T will make it my aim to develop
 pGrty government into con.onancs
 with the age in which we live" lie said Requested to explain his views or
 some criticism that Japan. like tht
 German military autocracy. may
 sometime become rn1litarily aggres-
 sive, Premier Hara declared that h. was amazed. On visiting America eleven years ago, to hear the fear voiced by some Americans that Ja pans military strength was designed iagainst America
 This is. of course. absurd he said History shows that Japan has neve
 engaged voluntarily in wars. It i admitted that our war agains7 Russi was purely defensive. We have II : ambition nor intention of :iggressio
 or conquest. The present war na shown that our agreements were de } fective and this will be remedied, bu : Japan has no idea except to De in
 pl oper condition for defense. Our victories in the Chinese an Russian wars naturally led the Ia ) panese people to admire their arm,
 and this. in turn, may have led to 3 misconception abroad of the rapport Z aIlce which Japan gives to arTrament l The military influence is not S
 1 dominant in Japan as outsiders ma r relieve. Our constitution is sti . young, and some of our people ma t favor a similar form of government | e the German system, but the presef
 ministry united in the daterrtinatio n to secure the constitutional develop n lnent of Japan along the popular line = which the war has so indisputabl y demonstrated as the worlds ttendcnc
 and the deside of the peoples or th d world"
 u Speaking of China, Premier Hal l, said he held. to the open door polio q os the Lans;ng-Ishii agreement an
 would constantly adhere to the polit d of non- interference in the internal a1 n fairs of China. The same. he sal n was true in the case of Russia, wtel ,f Japan only wished a responsible gov
 ernment. whether Bol:5heVik CT otl el e, wise Japan however, would new If agree to see Russia dominated by Ge o man influence.
 n In conclusion, the premier declare
 that Japan's expedition into Siber or vas the result of a consultation wi
 the United States and the allies a1 " that Japan had no intention of taki1 r. independent action in the future.