Joint Conference in Shanghai of Japanese Chambers of Commerce and Merchants At Thursday's opening meeting of the joint conference of Jupanese Chambers of Commerce in China and Japan and the Sino-Japanese Business Men's Association," Mr, M. Yonesato, manager of thea Nisshin Kisen Shipping Company at Shanghai and the Vice-President of the local Japanese Chamber of Commerce, took the chair, and following his statement as to the purport of holding this joint conference, representatives of the Japanese Chambers of Commerce in various parts of China delivered speeches concerning the progress and the actual condition of the anti-Japanese agitation, Mr. Yonesato, the Chairman, addressed the assembly mainly in the following terms:—Since the first revolution in 1911, the thoughts of the Chinese young generation have undergone a radical change, but nevertheless they have in reality devoted themselves merely to the restoration of China's national rights, with the consequence that the domestic affairs in this country are growing more complicated and confused than ever. This chaotic state of affairs has led to such serious incidents as the Lincheng outrage that has seriously be smirched the name of the Republic of China. In fact, the prospect of the situation in this country is now so gloomy that foreign intervention appears to be near in sight. It is most. imperative for China, therefore, to lose no time in reforming her internal affairs. Japan, as a neighbouring country, has up to the present always shown China most profound sympathy and hoped that the latter would do everything within her power to reform her internal affairs, to establish without delay a sound central Government and thus yo bring into existence a nation able to secure and guarantee the lives and property of foreigners of all nationalities living within the domain of China. China, however, has not only failed to reform herself, but has taken anti-Japanese action. There exists a tendency that an agitation of this sort will grow gradually from bad to worse. The Japanese people resident in China have endured with as much patience and with as much self-respect as possible, this irresponsible and unscrupulous agitation by Chinese who have gone so far as to commit anti-Japanese outrages as a pro test. against the 1915 Treaty concluded through proper and international measures, and the retention by Japan of Port Arthur and Dairen, resulting finally in the Changsha incident. Under these circumstances, the Japanese
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.
