Recent Japanese Policy in China

lkiNirf COILEG llBR.t\~Y M.OOR.E \ '-/1'0. \.''01_, II COLLECTION RELATING TO THE FA~ EAST CLASS NO.- BOOK NO.- VOLUME AC CEss 1.....,....0N~N-=--=o=--. 327.5\- FPA '2 Lf 2) FOREIGN POLICY ASSOCIATION Information Service VOL Ill-No. 16 OCTOBER 12, 1927 CONTENTS Page Japanese Policy Toward China Between 1895 and 1922 , . • 225 Washington Conference Marks Turning Point in Japanese Policy . 226 "Friendship Policy" Effects Change in Relations with China . • . • • . 227 New Tanaka Government Outlines Separate Policy for Manchuria . • 229 Japanese Rights and Interests in Manchuria . 229 Early Competition Between Japan and Russia . 230 Influence of the Japanese South Manchuria Railway . 232 Japanese Relations with Chang Tso-lin . • . 235 Japanese Complaints against Military Rule in Manchuria . 236 Japanese Demands Arouse Opposition in China . 237 Text of Baron Tanaka's Statement at the Oriental Conference, July 7, 1927 239 Published bl·weekly by the Re..,..rch Department of tbe I'ORlDIGN POLICY ASSOCIATION, 18 E&st Uat St., New York, N . Y . Juna G. HcDoM&LD, Ollalrman; Subscription Rates: $5 .00 per year; to Jr. P. A. Members, f!.OO; Single Copies, 26c. Recent Japanese Policy in China HE significance of Japan's new China that is, from about the time of the Sino T policy, which was outlined by Baron Japanese War until after the Washington Tanaka last July, several months after he Conference, Japanese policy seemed to be succeeded Premier Wakatsuki as head of the directed primarily toward securing a posi Japanese Government, was not generally tion of influence in China. This policy, which appreciated in the United States until a at times was conducted with little or no re short time ago when China voiced a strong gard for the susceptibilities of the Chinese, protest against certain Japanese demands was justified by Japanese on the ground of with respect to Manchuria. The anti-Japan checking Russia's advances, which threat ese agitation which followed served to em ened the peace of the Far East. The Treaty phasize the apparent departure of the of Shimonoseki, terminating the war with Tanaka government from the "Friendship China in 1895, gave to Japan the island of Policy" pursued by its predecessors since Formosa, the Pescadores Islands, the Liao the Washington Conference, at least so far tung Peninsula, and the right to hold Wei as Manchuria and Mongolia are concerned. haiwei until China had carried out the The new "Positive Policy" draws a sharp provisions of the treaty. Although immedi line between Manchuria and Mongolia and ately forced by the European powers to sur China proper; it reasserts Japan's special render the Liaotung Peninsula Japan re interests in the former area, and openly gained control of Port Arthur and Dairen announces Japan's intention to defend these as a result of her successful war against interests at all costs. Russia in 1905. In 1910 Japan annexed The importance of Tanaka's policy may be Korea. In 1915 she took advantage of gauged by a comparison with previous poli European preoccupation with the World cies and a survey of the nature and extent of War to serve upon China the famous Japan's interests in Manchuria. Twenty-One Demands which culminated in In the period between 1895 and 1922, the treaties and agreements of May, 1915. JAPANESE POLICY IN CHINA 22 Thus, following the example of the west EARLY RESULTS OF ern powers in building powerful armies and "FRIENDSHIP POLICY" navies and in protecting and extending na tional interests, if need be by force, Japan The effects of the "Friendship Policy" t secured a dominant position of influence on ward China began to appear shortly after th the Asiatic mainland. At the time of the Washington Conference. Within a year th Washington Conference Japan had succeeded Japanese Government withdrew its troop to the Russian rights in Manchuria and the from Hankow and Shantung, although sti German rights in Shantung, and, because of retaining them in Manchuria, and also with her close proximity to China, was probably drew its post offices in all parts of China ex in a stronger position than either Germany cept Manchuria. In the Washington treaty o or Russia had been. J apancse troops also February 4, 1922, Japan agreed to terminat occupied the port of Vladivostok, and the the lease of Tsingtao, which Germany ha northern part of Sakhalin. secured for ninety-nine years in 1898, and t hand over to China the Shantung railwa constructed by Germany. Ratification of th GENERAL PRINCIPLES ACCEPTED treaty by the two governments was affected AT WASHINGTON CONFERENCE in June, 1922. China was given fifteen years to pay for this road, the value of which was Despite vigorous criticism from a number fixed by a joint commission at 40,000,000 of influential Japanese newspapers, the Jap yen.* This settlement, according to Mr. John anese Government accepted President Hard E. Baker, adviser to the Chinese Ministry ing's invitation to the Washington Confer of Communications, secures better terms for ence in 1921. At the Conference Japan sub China than are to be found in any other scribed to the naval treaty and the several railway contract negotiated under the Re agreements relating to China. Article 1 public. of the treaty relating to principles and policies to be followed in matters concerning In April, 1923, the Japanese and American China laid down certain specific obligations Governments in an exchange of notes term which the signatory powers, including Japan, inated the Lansing-Ishii Agreement of No agreed to observe. It read as follows: vember 2, 1917, in which the United States had recognized Japan's "special interests in ARTICLE I. The Contracting Powers, other than China, agree: China, particularly in the part to which her possessions are contiguous." By 1924, Japan (1) To respect the sovereignty, the independ ence, and the territorial and administrative in had settled most of her difficulties with Rus tegrity of China; sia and had agreed to withdraw her troops (2) To provide the fullest and most unem from northern Sakhalin, in return for cer barrassed opportunity to China to develop and tain concessions. Following the example of maintain for herself an effective and stable the United States, the Japanese Government government; in March, 1923 turned over Japan's share (3) To use their influence for the purpose of the Boxer indemnity, and also the pay of effectually establishing and maintaining the ments which China must make on the Shan principle of equal opportunity for the commerce tung properties, to a special fund for Chinese and industry of all nations throughout the terri tory of China; educational and cultural work. The effort of the Japanese to regain (4) To refrain from taking advantage of con ditions in China in order to seek special rights China's good will was further demonstrated or privileges which would abridge the rights of during the famous "May 30 Affair" of 1925, subjects or citizens of friendly States, and from when foreign police opened fire on Chinese countenancing action inimical to the security of demonstrators in Shanghai who were pro such States. testing the shooting of a Chinese laborer by In carrying out these and other obliga Japanese cotton mill guards·. The affair led tions, Japan introduced a new policy toward quickly to a general strike and serious anti China, popularly known as the "Friendship foreign demonstrations throughout China. Policy." • A yen Is worth ar>Proxima tely 50 rents (Anlerlca.n). JAPANESE POLICY IN CHINA 227 Japan promptly took steps to appease the "Second-Promote the solidarity and Chinese and quietly paid an indemnity to the economic rapp1·ochement between the two family of the Chinese laborer who had been nations. killed. As a result of this policy of settling "Third-Entertain sympathetically and the affair "out of court," the Japanese es helpfully the just aspirations of the Chi caped the worst effects of the outburst of nese people and cooperate in efforts of Chinese opinion which was subsequently realization of such aspirations. directed against other foreigners. "Fourth-Maintain an attitude of pa JAPAN AVOIDS INTERVENTION tience and cooperation in the present situa IN CHINA'S REVOLUTION tion in China and at the same time protect Despite the fact that out of the 346,000 Japan's legitimate and essential rights and foreigners in China approximately 235,000 interests by all reasonable means at the are Japanese and that Japanese trade in 1926 disposal of the Government." predominated in China, the Japanese Govern Baron Shidehara's policy apparently made ment has until recently followed a policy no distinction between Manchuria and the of "non-intervention" toward the Chinese rest of China; and while professing the pol revolution. During the Nanking incident icy of strict non-intervention in Chinese of 1927, in which Japanese as well as other affairs, it reserved the right of protecting foreign property was destroyed, the Tokyo Japanese lives and property when immedi Government consistently opposed the idea of ately endangered. At the time this policy intervention. In this it was apparently sup was announced, however, the civil war in ported by a majority of the Japanese press. China was confined largely to the South, When a similar incident occurred at Nan where Japanese interests were less impor king in 1913 it led to a riot in Tokyo and tant than in the North. a strong demand for action. Commenting on this change, a well-known Japanese writer, BARON TANAKA CRITIC Yusuke Tsurumi, states, "But when the OF "FRIENDSHIP POLICY" trouble occurred in Nanking this year there The "Friendship Policy" of the Wakatsuki was no ripple on the surface of Tokyo's cabinet was severely criticized in April, 1927 political waters and no public protest over by Baron Tanaka, then the leader of the non-intervention.

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