Tokio, January 3.
The general consensus of opinion here is that China will constitute the absorbing question of 1908. The "Kokumin Shimbun" in an editorial says that one of the principal causes of the Russo-Jo mar was the protection of independence, but that almost all pot bellum' questions between China and Japan are hanging fire. It such a state of things is left without improvement Japan will be compelled to assume Russia's ante bellum position.
If this, concludes the " Kokumin Shimbun," is to be the inevitable sequel of the mobilization of 100,000 troops and the disbursement of Yen 2,000,000,000, it is an intolerable position for Japan.
Apropos of these remarks I hear that the highest circles in Japan are considering the reconstruction of Japan's policy towards China—Own Correspondent.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.