Japan and the United States
By Kosmios
BURKE'S observation on the difficulty of framing an indictment against a nation applies with peculiar force when the nation judged differs from its critic in language, manners and customs, religious and ethical ideals, and historical traditions, as is the case with Japan and the United States. In any case the obvious difficulty is that of proving the charge against the nation as a whole, or even against a majority of its citizens. Is Japan a menace to the United States? Some Americans are answering this question in the affirmative, while others are returning as emphatic a denial, the reply depending upon the point of view. The Congressman, anxious to advance the naval expansion policy of his party, naturally views things in a different light from that of the sympathetic missionary who has spent his life laboring for the spiritual uplift of the people. It is possible that the view of each is more or less partial. But in all fairness it must be allowed that the man who has lived among the people the best part of his life is in far the better position to judge. The present position of Japan before the world is certainly unique. For a generation past the Japanese have been engaged in a struggle to appropriate Western civilization, and to win the recognition of the Western nations as one of the world's leading powers. With the close of the war with Russia this recognition came, not in a mere sentimental way, but in a very substantial manner, from all the leading nations. This result has had its effect, both upon the Japanese and upon their critics. It is very human that some among the white race should still be unwilling to admit a nation of yellow people into the charmed circle of the world's great powers. And the industrial problem arising from Japanese immigration has helped to strengthen the feeling against the self-assertive Orientals. It is also quite human that the Japanese should feel elated over their successes in peace and war. The results are suspicion and adverse criticism on the one hand, and conceit and over-confidence on the other. Thoughtful Japanese in the home country, men in responsible positions, are fully conscious of these conditions, and are doing what they can to improve the situation. The Japan Times, of Tokyo, a daily paper owned and edited by Japanese, tho printed in English, recently contained an editorial discussing the question of Japan's foreign critics. In trying to account for the feeling on the part of foreigners that “Japan is trying to make too much of her newly gained position,” and to explain why foreigners “see an upstart in Japan and resent her self-assertion,” the paper observes: “And the vexatious part of it is that the Japanese, or at least some of them, are responsible for this mistake almost as much as the foreigners. For such of Japanese as are familiar with the material and intellectual civilization of Europe and America, it is impossible to have an extravagant idea of the greatness of their own country. But it is not always the writers of this class who take up pens for popular magazines and newspapers that reach the masses and the young. It happens that those who have the ears, or rather the eyes, of the untaught and raw minds are themselves men who can measure their country only by what it was, and to them Japan of to-day is the marvel of the world. . . . In turn, the effects thus produced are wrought into weapons of attack by their foreign detractors. Thus we have often to blame our own nationals for many of the weaknesses we are charged with unfairly as a nation. To our bitter experience we have had enough of sensational American journalism, and seen what mischief it can be capable of in international relations; and it seems high time that the publishers of our newspapers and periodical literature awaken to the importance of correctly selecting matter entering their columns, especially in connection with the international position of this country.” Such an utterance fairly represents the attitude of the large class of Japanese who have either traveled abroad, or have breadth of mind to see beyond their own coasts. Of the great mass of the people who have never been outside their own country, their lack of perspective in world affairs is not so much to be wondered at. Time and the experiences it brings will gradually enable them to properly estimate themselves. The great Exhibition to be held at Tokyo in 1912 will be an educational factor of rare value in this direction. Then there is the charge that Japan is secretly plotting against the United States in a struggle for the supremacy of the Pacific. The only basis for such a charge is unconfirmed suspicions. It is true that Japan is taxing herself to the utmost to build up her army and navy; but in this she is simply following the lead of her instructors, the great powers of the West. She is but paying the price of being reckoned among the great powers. Commercial competition among the maritime nations of the world is very keen; and no doubt some have felt annoyed at the rapid progress of Japan in the markets of the Orient. But these same foreigners stand ready to take any advantage of the Japanese that occasion offers. This is shown by the alacrity with which certain foreign firms in China seized the trade that the Japanese lost as the result of the boycott on account of the “Tatsu Maru” affair. It is simply the way of a selfish world, where even those who live in glass houses often throw stones. While prominent Americans are indulging in violent criticisms of Japan, it is not to be wondered at that the Japanese are inclined to question the friendliness of Americans. The Nichi Nichi, a leading Tokyo daily, recently gave expression to this feeling. A translated summary of the editorial runs as follows: “The ‘Nichi Nichi’ can not understand the persistent survival of anti-Japanese sentiment among certain sections of the American public. The violent speech attributed to an Alabama Congressman [Hobson] must be dismissed only as an attempt for advancing the naval expansion policy of his own party; but nevertheless, public expression of an opinion signifying hostile feeling toward the nation most friendly to his own should be denounced as extremely imprudent. Worse than this case, words put into the mouth of no less a person than Admiral Evans, declaring the necessity of advancing American trade interests even by force of arms, betray disregard of the possibility of rousing in the peacefully minded Far-Easterners the suspicion of ambitious intentions of America on the Pacific.” Thus does suspicion breed suspicion. And it is not difficult to predict the result if such suspicions are persisted in. This may all be looked upon as shrewd foresight and skilful politics; but should the predicted clash come, who can tell how much it might be due to the ill feelings and lack of confidence thus engendered? Congressman Hobson charges the Japanese with being addicted to the war habit, as an inheritance from eight centuries of ancestors. And Dr. De-Forest replies that for the two hundred fifty years prior to the recent awakening of Japan the nation enjoyed a period of profound peace. Very true; but that was the period of the supremacy of the Tokugawa line of Shoguns, and the peace enjoyed was due to the consummate skill of the early rulers of this line, by which the whole country was brought under one of the most absolute military despotisms known in history. The samurai class were the ruling class, and enjoyed privileges and were accorded honors denied the farmer, the craftsman, and the merchant; and the elaborate feudal code of honor applying to this class also helped to keep alive the military spirit even in time of peace. And altho these class distinctions were abolished at the beginning of the Restoration Era, the military spirit of the nation was well preserved, and still survives. The accomplishments of the Japanese in their most recent wars is proof of this. And while it seems to me unfair to charge them with having the war habit any more than some other nations that might be mentioned, I think it would not be unfair to say that when war does come, the Japanese can be depended upon to act their part. The student of prophecy knows that the final clash of arms can not long be delayed, and sincerely prays that the war spirit may be held in check a little longer, till the Gospel of peace has done its work in the earth.