Anglo - Japanese Alliance The first was signed in London at what is now the Lansdowne Club , on January 30 , 1902 , by Lord Lansdowne ( British foreign secretary ) and Hayashi Tadasu ( Japanese minister in London ) . A diplomatic milestone that saw an end to Britain ' s splendid isolation , the alliance was renewed and expanded in scope twice , in 1905 and 1911 , before its demise in 1921 . It was officially terminated in 1923 . Motivations and reservations . The possibility of an alliance between United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Empire of Japan had been canvassed since 1895 , when Britain refused to join the triple intervention of France , Germany and Russia against the Japanese occupation of the Liaotung peninsula . While this single event was an unstable basis for an alliance , the case was strengthened by the support Britain had given Japan in its drive towards modernisation and their cooperative efforts to put down the Boxer Rebellion . Newspapers of both countries voiced support for such an alliance ; in the UK , Francis Brinkley of " The Times " and Edwin Arnold of the " Telegraph " were the driving force behind such support , while in Japan the pro - alliance mood of politician Okuma Shigenobu stirred the " Mainichi " and " Yomiuri " newspapers into pro - alliance advocacy . The 1894 Anglo - Japanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation had also paved the way for equal relations and the possibility of an alliance . In the end , the common interest truly fueling the alliance was opposition to Russian expansion . This was made clear as early as the 1890s , when the British diplomat Cecil Spring - Rice identified that Great Britain and Japan working in concert was the only way to challenge Russian power in the region . Negotiations began when Russia began to move into China . Nevertheless , both countries had their reservations . The UK was cautious of abandoning its policy of " splendid isolation " , wary of antagonizing Russia , and unwilling to act on the treaty if Japan were to attack the United States . There were factions in the Japanese government that still hoped for a compromise with Russia , including the highly powerful political figure Hirobumi Itō , who had served four terms as Prime Minister of Japan . It was thought that friendship within Asia would be more amenable to the USA , which was uncomfortable with the rise of Japan as a power . Furthermore , the UK was unwilling to protect Japanese interests in Korea and likewise the Japanese were unwilling to support Britain in India . Hayashi and Lord Lansdowne began their discussions in July 1901 , and disputes over Korea and India delayed them until November . At this point , Hirobumi Itō requested a delay in negotiations in order to attempt a reconciliation with Russia . He was mostly unsuccessful , and Britain expressed concerns over duplicity on Japan ' s part , so Hayashi hurriedly re - entered negotiations in 1902 . Terms of the 1902 treaty . The treaty contained six articles : Article 1 Article 2 Article 3 Article 4 Article 5 Article 6 Articles 2 and 3 were most crucial concerning war and mutual defence . The treaty laid out an acknowledgement of Japanese interests in Korea without obligating the UK to help should a Russo - Japanese conflict arise on this account . Japan was not obligated to defend British interests in India . Although written using careful and clear language , the two sides understood the Treaty slightly differently . The UK saw it as a gentle warning to Russia , while Japan was emboldened by it . From that point on , even those of a moderate stance refused to accept a compromise over the issue of Korea . Extremists saw it as an open invitation for imperial expansion . Renewal in 1905 and 1911 . The alliance was renewed and extended in scope twice , in 1905 and 1911 . This was partly prompted by British suspicions about Japanese intentions in South Asia . Japan appeared to support Indian nationalism , tolerating visits by figures such as Rash Behari Bose . The July 1905 renegotiations allowed for Japanese support of British interests in India and British support for Japanese progress into Korea . By November of that year Korea was a Japanese protectorate , and in February 1906 Itō Hirobumi was posted as the Resident General to Seoul . At the renewal in 1911 , Japanese diplomat Komura Jutarō played a key role to restore Japan ' s tariff autonomy . Effects . The alliance was announced on February 12 , 1902 . In response , Russia sought to form alliances with France and Germany , which Germany declined . On March 16 , 1902 , a mutual pact was signed between France and Russia . China and the United States were strongly opposed to the alliance . Nevertheless , the nature of the Anglo - Japanese alliance meant that France was unable to come to Russia ' s aid in the Russo - Japanese War of 1904 as this would have meant going to war with Britain . The alliance ' s provisions for mutual defense prompted Japan to enter World War I on the British side . Japan attacked the German base at Tsingtao in 1914 and forced the Germans to surrender ( see Siege of Tsingtao ) . Japanese officers aboard British warships were casualties at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 . In 1917 , Japanese warships were sent to the Mediterranean and assisted in the protection of allied shipping near Malta from U - boat attacks ; there is a memorial there to the sailors who fell . The Treaty also made possible the Japanese seizure of German possessions in the Pacific north of the equator during WWI , a huge boon to Japan ' s imperial interests The alliance formed the basis for positive cultural exchange between Britain and Japan . Japanese educated in the UK were able to bring new technology to Japan , such as advances in ophthalmology . British artists of the time such as James McNeill Whistler , Aubrey Beardsley and Charles Rennie Mackintosh were heavily inspired by Japanese kimono , swords , crafts and architecture . Limitations . There remained strains on Anglo - Japanese relations during the years of the alliance . One such strain was the racial question . Although originally a German notion , the Japanese perceived that the British had been affected by idea of Yellow Peril , on account of their recalcitrance in the face of Japanese imperial success . This issue returned at Versailles after WWI when the UK sided with the U . S . against Japan ' s request of the addition of Racial Equality Proposal , 1919 , proposed by Prince Kinmochi Saionji . The racial question was difficult for Britain because of its multi - ethnic empire . Another limitation to the alliance was the economic relationship between Britain and Japan . Despite Japan ' s successful modernisation and growing military power , British banks continued to overestimate the risk involved in investments in Japan . Particularly insulting was the terms on which loans were issued to Japan , ranking them as equal to countries such as Egypt , Turkey and China . Demise of the treaty . The alliance was viewed as an obstacle already at the Paris peace conference of 1919 - 1920 . On July 8 , 1920 , the two governments issued a joint statement to the effect that the alliance treaty " is not entirely consistent with the letter of that Covenant ( of the League of Nations ) , which both Governments earnestly desire to respect " . The demise of the alliance was signaled by the 1921 Imperial Conference , in which leaders from throughout the British Commonwealth convened to determine a unified international policy . One of the major issues of the conference was the renewal of the Anglo - Japanese Alliance . The conference began with all but Canadian Prime Minister Arthur Meighen supporting the immediate renewal of an alliance with Japan . The prevailing hope was for a continuance of the alliance with the Pacific power , which could potentially provide security for Commonwealth interests in the area . The Australians feared that it could not fend off any advancements from the Japanese navy , and desired a continuance to build up naval resources for a possible future conflict with the fear that an alliance with the United States in a state of post - war isolationism would provide little protection . Meighen , fearing that a conflict could develop between Japan and the United States , demanded the Commonwealth to remove itself from the treaty to avoid being forced into a war between the two nations . The rest of the delegates agreed that it was best to court America and try to find a solution that the American government would find suitable , but only Meighen called for the complete abrogation of the treaty . The American government feared that the renewal of the Anglo - Japanese Alliance would create a Japanese dominated market in the Pacific , and close China off from American trade . These fears were elevated by the news media in America and Canada , which reported alleged secret anti - American clauses in the treaty , and advised the public to support abrogation . The press , combined with Meighen ' s convincing argument of Canadian fears that Japan would attack Commonwealth assets in China , caused the Imperial Conference to shelve the alliance . The Conference communicated their desire to consider leaving the alliance to the League of Nations , which stated that the alliance would continue , as originally stated with the leaving party giving the other a twelve month notice of their intentions . The Commonwealth had decided to sacrifice its alliance with Japan in favor of good will with the United States , yet it desired to prevent the expected alliance between Japan and either Germany or Russia from coming into being . Commonwealth delegates convinced America to invite several nations to Washington to participate in talks regarding Pacific and Far East policies , specifically naval disarmament . Japan came to the Washington Naval Conference with a deep mistrust of Britain , feeling that London no longer wanted what was best for Japan . Despite the growing rift , Japan joined the conference in hopes of avoiding a war with the United States . The Pacific powers of the United States , Japan , France , and Great Britain would sign the Four - Power Treaty , and adding on various other countries such as China to create the Nine - Power Treaty . The Four Powers Treaty would provide a minimal structure for the expectations of international relations in the Pacific , as well as a loose alliance without any commitment to armed alliances . The Four Powers Treaty at the Washington Conference made the Anglo - Japanese Alliance defunct in December , 1921 ; however , it would not officially terminate until all parties ratified the treaty on August 17 , 1923 . At that time , the Alliance was officially terminated , as per Article IV in the Anglo - Japanese Alliance Treaties of 1902 and 1911 . The distrust between the Commonwealth and Japan , as well as the manner in which the Anglo - Japanese Alliance concluded are credited by many scholars , as being leading causes to Japan ' s involvement in World War Two .