The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-07-14
TREND TOWARD
LIBERALISM
IN JAPAN
New Triumvirate Has Great
Influence on the Masses
In Nippon
By DUKE N. PARRY,
International News Service.

TOKYO, Japan, July 15.---Who are
the new genro of Japan, the secret
rulers by whose direction the gov
eminent is more or less permitted
to carry on affairs of state? This
question has required In Japan
many times since a so-caAed ma
tionalistic cabinet went into office,
with Premier Viscount Kato at it's
head, in June of this year. Japan
csc political history is closely in
terwoven with the activities Of the
genro, group of peers who have
in the past been the secret ad-
visers Of the emperor of Japan. AT
the time of the death of Field
Marshal Prince Yamagata in 1921,
the men Of which Prince Yama-
gaia was senior, all advisers 20
the throne regarding the appoint
ment Of premiers and the carrying
out Of state policies, had progress
ed to such a point of prominence
that they were some times referred
to as the secret rulers of Japan"
Old Regime Passes.
Today Prince Yamagata is dead;
Prince Matsukata, whose death was
reported in Japan three months
ago, is hanging on by a mere
breath, and Prince Saionji, one-time
premier and delegate to the Yer
sailles conference, a known auto
GRAFT, finds his power as the single
remaining genro very weak, in
deed. That for one Of the groups
generally known as the genro Of
Japan.
Foreigners who observed the
trend of political affairs in the
empire of Japan were surprised
early this year to see the trend
toward liberalism. They noted the
Russian blouses worn by Japanese
on the streets of Tokyo, they mar
veled at the change of mems hair
styles from the former close-crop.
ped variety to the flowing locks
so customary in Russia.
They learned that there was fear
among some CT the older line
japanese that the national spirit
of Japan was III danger. While
Moscow pressed on the one hand
for a recognition of the Soviet, and
tens of thousands of Japanese
espoused the Russian cause, there
came into prominence a new grOu ,
of men in the empire-men whose
past while slightly unmentionab.e
| internationally, had nevertheless
claims of brilliancy so far as ma
| tional patriotism is concerned.
! New Triumvate.
| These men were Mitsuru Toy
anna, Robin Hcod of Japan" as
he has been called, a man who IS
/ claimed to be the great influence
J of Japanese masses, who put the
state above all else; Shinya Uchida,
a political opportunist, who sees in
the shifting of Japanese national
| ism chance for advancement poll
tically by political patriotism; and,
! most powerful of all with a large
, circle of friends, Lieutenant General
| KWanju Miura, one time privy coun-
| clllor, but of more Importance. jap
anese minister to the court of Korea
| in 1864 Japanese minister who
| was tried for and later acquitted of
completely in the murder of the
! queen of Korea. No matter whether
or not General Nhura was involved
queen OF Korea. No matter whether
in the murder of the queen, 1t is
known that Japan's annexation nf
Korea came later, and it is equally
well known that the activities of
General Miura in Seoul, Korea,
| aided in the taking over by Japaa
or this great colonial possession.
Voted for Suffrage.
Japan has moved forward great
ly SO far as interest in the outside
world is concerned. In the cleo.
tons of June the people who voted
it was not a matter Of equal suf.
frage, but rather an expression of
very small percentage of the
people-chose to return to power
the Kenseikai party, which is
avowedly for equal suffrage and
the protection of the Constitution
granted Japan by the great EN-
peror METH The principles of the
kato Ministry are known to con-
tain certain amount of liberal
ism; but there is a certain group
OF the present strong Cabinet which
advocates the extension Of Empire
and the strengthening of diplomatic
representations abroad The Premier
himself is man most famous as
the Foreign Minister who, in 1914.
sent over to Picking the demands
| famous as 1.-THE Twenty.one De.
| mands,' and thus did his bit to-
ward the extension Of Japan's con.
| troll in the Far East. The Foreign
| Minister, Baron Shidehara, once
! Ambassador to the United States
| is brother-in-law of the premier, and
the foreign minister's opening state
ment to the press contained phrases
which were Of no mean strength.
Thus in the Cabinet are elements
of strength.
Who Are Rulers?
Who, then, are the genro Of ia.
pan? A failing Prince Matsukata.
buoyed up by Prince Saionji, an.
other genro, who finds it difficult
to be a close adviser to the throne,
with the people Of Japan out and
out against him? Those in the
cabinet who call for liberalism, the
recognition of Soviet Russia and
the spread Of liberalism? Or is the
| new genro system to be represented
| by Toyama, Miura and Uchida, men
who claim no interest in material
wealth, no particular desire for po-
litical prestige, but make their APP
peal to the patriotic japanese whose
Empire is in danger of slipping
backward? Toyama, Miura and
Uchida, the first man who dared
to threaten Prince Yamagata, the
most powerful autocratic genro of