Jan, 28.
'The speech delivered by the' Foreign Minister of Japan just! before the dissolution of the:
Diet will, we hope, be carefully studied in China. It is so sane, reasonable, and far-sighted that it deserves to be met in a similar' been formally communicated to jarly foreign Government, nor does it seem to be sufficiently explicit in meaning." In other words, the Chinese declaration of the abolition of extraterritoriality is. regarded in Japan, as in most! quarters, as merely a gesture, and Baron Shidehara said that could not persuade himself that, in issuing it, the Chinese Government actually meant to commit itself to "a policy sub-spirit. Furthermore, notwith-|versive of the laws and usages standing that the approaching|of international intercourse." elections may bring a new party The difficulty which foreign into power, we may be confident|Governments experience at pre-that the voice which spoke sent in dealing with Nanking is not that of a single Minister but that she speaks with two voices. of Japan herself, Japanese fore-It is, as Baron Shidehara says, ign policy, like that of Great! "needless to point out that in Britain, is, on the whole, con-our modern world a policy, retinuous, no matter what party pugnant to all sense of reason is in power, At the Washington and moderation, can scarcely Conference of 1921 Japan agreed serve to enhance the prestige of a with other Powers on the new nation or to serve the purpose for Which it is intended, line of conduct to be followed in the Far Eastern affairs, and Undoubtedly, the princi in Nanking are fully aware of she las Joyally stood by it.' The this. Some of them have lived feverish Chinese propaganda of broad; most of them are in con! 1927 and 1928 sought to present! stant touch with foreign thought; the late Baron Tanaka as a and they understand that inter-champion of: the mailed fist, a national dealings require a dif-deliberate aggressor at China's ferent method from that which expense. But impartial his-China believed she could adopt torious will never support! when first she came in contact this view; they will never con-with the world, But too often demo Baron Tanaka for sending there appears to be some power Japanese troops to Shantung in the background which thwarts] in view of the conditions then land stultifies the line of action prevailing. Circumstances were determined on by the ostensibly exceptional, demanding excep-responsible Minister. In large. tional measures, which were in measure this is due to the Com-no sense a breach in the con-mittee system of government tinuity of Japan's policy to-which repeatedly defeats the best ward China as determined by|intentions of Nanking. This Baron Tanaka's _predocessors particularly true of the provinces, and reiterated by Baron Shide-where almost unlimited power Jhas fallen into the hands of The kernel of that policy is|committees of mere boys, who well summed up in the following|continually obstruct even paragraph. After alluding to reverse the decisions of the Cen-the rival views of optimists and|tral Government. There is pessimists Baron Shidehara con-doubt that Nanking fully alive tinued: to the anomaly of this system "If, however, one takes a and in the projected Bill of broader view of the future wellbe-Rights reported on January 19, ing of both Japan and China one: which is destined to give all will be satisfied that there is no people equal status and protec-other course open to the ¢wo tion by law both for their persons nations than to pursue the path land property, as in the measures of mutual accord and ce-operation for the control of provincial in all their relations political and economic their real fre rents which in no way conic FeSterday, may be geon the frst and lasting Zove™mments with which we dealt}
but have much in common with real effort to grapple with the each' other ought to be a sufficient problem. The difficulties now' assurance of their growing experienced, both in foreign and rapprochement. If the Chinese internal offal would largely be people awaken to these facts and|overcome if Ministers were show themselves responsive to the policy 30 outlined, nothing wil be more conducive to the mutual welfare of both nations.""
But the speaker could not! ignore the danger of the temptation to men in power in [China "to resort to-an adventure jous foreign policy with a view diverting the peoples' minds from internal to external affairs." And the uttered a plain warning that Japan would not, if necessity arose, hesitate to defend her nationals in China, and was confident that "we can at least rest ithe greater freedom and responsibility which their colleagues enjoy in other countries. At the same time the powers of provincial governors should be greatly enlarged, within the limits of direct responsibility to the Central Government.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.