719
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government..
22068
}
>
[B]
JAPAN.
CONFIDENTIAL.
(19636)
No. 1.
* 18 JUN 08 [June 9.]
SECTION 1.
1
Sir C. MacDonald to Sir Edward Grey,~ Received June 9.)
(No. 107.) Sir,
I HAVE the honour to inclose copies of two Reports dealing with the present anti-Japanese feeling which exists in a somewhat acute form amongst foreigners in the Far East. One is a Report by the Honourable F. O. Lindley, Second Secretary of this Embassy, who has just returned from a short tour in North China and Manchuria, and the other is in the form of a Memorandum by Mr. Parlett, His Majesty's Vice-Consul at Dairen, commenting on a strong article from a Japanese newspaper bitterly resenting this anti-Japanese feeling.
I have had several conversations with some of the leading Japanese Statesmen on the subject of this feeling which they are quite aware of, and which they greatly deplore. The consensus of opinion of these authorities is that matters will right themselves. They assure me that a similar state of affairs existed after the China-Japan war, though the feeling was perhaps not so acute or so widespread. The same accusations of commercial favouritism and overbearing conduct were made with regard to Formosa as are now made regarding Manchuria. I have never lost an opportunity of bringing to the notice of the Statesmen I have mentioned and of those in authority to whom I have spoken on this subject the very serious harm which has been done to the good name of Japan by the overbearing demeanour on the part of minor officials, sharp practice on the part of merchants, and also by the ruffianly behaviour of the Japanese who have emigrated to Manchuria and Corea, and I have pointed out that it is not so much that these offences have been committed, but that they appeared to go almost unchecked by the authorities who, instead of punishing the delinquents, seemed always ready to make excuses for their bad behaviour. Count Hayashi on one occasion mentioned that the local authorities were badly paid and new to their work, but that this would in time be rectified. This may be so, but I am much more inclined to think that it is due to the national characteristic of what we would term mistaken leniency, due to extreme politeness, or what Mr. Lindley has called the principle of "live and let live." The deduction would appear almost absurd, but the instances of a reluctance to proceed to extremities and to punish are so very noticeable to anybody who has resided in Japan, that it is only a source of wonder that the unruly classes do not get out of hand more often than they do. Both Mr. Lindley and Mr. Parlett assign reasons for the unpopularity of the Japanese, which reasons appear to me to be in every instance sound. I think, however, that the extraordinary change which has come over the foreign element in the Far East, and more particularly the element that matters, namely, the English-speaking one, had its commencement in the treatment of the war correspondents during and after the recent war. Some of these were authors of repute as well as war correspondents, who, with few exceptions (there were none among the American section), left Japan determined, as they told me, to be "even with the Japanese" for the childish treatment they had received at the hands of the Japanese military authorities at the front. There is no doubt that the change in American feelings had its commencement in the impression which these correspondents carried home with them, and which they spread broadcast. Mr. Lindley has drawn attention to the fact that the majority of missionaries in China and Manchuria, who undoubtedly were pro-Japanese previous to and during the war, have had their sympathies alienated by the enormous influx of Japanese prostitutes. This is a subject which, I know, the Japanese Government are endeavouring to deal with, but, for reasons stated in Mr. Lindley's Report, find some difficulty in doing.
There is no doubt that apart from commercial competition the main factor accounting for the unpopularity of the Japanese in the eyes of the foreign resident in the Far East is that the Japanese now claim absolute equality with Americans and Europeans, which, as Mr. Lindley points out, is admitted readily enough in theory, but
[1822 i-1]
B
1
719
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government..
22068
}
>
[B]
JAPAN.
CONFIDENTIAL.
(19636]
No. 1.
* 18 JUN 08 [June 9.]
SECTION 1.
1
Sir C. MacDonald to Sir Edward Grey,~ Received June 9.)
(No. 107.) Sir,
I HAVE the honour to inclose copies of two Reports dealing with the present anti-
Tokió, May 11, 1908. Japanese feeling which exists in a somewhat acute form amongst foreigners in the Far East. One is a Report by the Honourable F. O. Lindley, Second Secretary of this Embassy, who has just returned from a short tour in North China and Manchuria, and the other is in the form of a Memorandum by Mr. Parlett, His Majesty's Vice-Consul at Dairen, commenting on a strong article from a Japanese newspaper bitterly resenting this anti-Japanese feeling.
I have had several conversations with some of the leading Japanese Statesmen on the subject of this feeling which they are quite aware of, and which they greatly deplore. The consensus of opinion of these authorities is that matters will right themselves. They assure me that a similar state of affairs existed after the China-Japan war, though the feeling was perhaps not so acute or so widespread. The same accusations of commercial favouritism and overbearing conduct were made with regard to Formosa as are now made regarding Manchuria. I have never lost an opportunity of bringing to the notice of the Statesmen I have mentioned and of those in authority to whom I bave spoken on this subject the very serious harm which has been done to the good name of Japan by the overbearing demeanour on the part of minor officials, sharp practice on the part of merchants, and also by the ruffianly behaviour of the Japanese who have emigrated to Manchuria and Corea, and I bave pointed out that it is not so much that these offences have been committed, but that they appeared to go almost unchecked by the authorities who, instead of punishing the delinquents, seemed always ready to make excuses for their bad behaviour. Count Hayashi on one occasion mentioned that the local anthorities were badly paid and new to their work, but that this would in time be rectified. This may be 50, but I am much more inclined to think that it is due to the national characteristic of what we would term mistaken leniency, due to extreme politeness, or what Mr. Lindley has called the principle of " live and let live." The deduction would appear almost absurd, but the instances of a reluctance to proceed to extremities and to punish are so very noticeable to anybody who has resided in Japan, that it is only a source of wonder that the unruly classes do not get out of hand more often than they do. Both Mr. Lindley and Mr. Parlett assign reasous for the unpopularity of the Japanese, which reasons appear to me to be in every instance sound. I think, however, that the extraordinary change which has come over the foreign element in the Far East, and more particularly the element that matters, namely, the English-speaking one, had its commencement in the treatment of the war correspondents during and after the recent war. Some of these were authors of repute as well as war correspondents, who, with few exceptions (there were none among the American scetion), left Japan determined, as they told me, to be "even with the Japanese" for the childish treatment they had received at the hands of the Japanese military authorities at the front. There is no doubt that the change in American feelings had its commencement in the impression which these correspondents carried home with them, and which they spread broadcast. Mr. Lindley has drawn attention to the fact that the majority of missionaries in China and Manchuria, who undoubtedly were pro-Japanese previous to and during the war, have had their sympathies alienated by the enormous influx of Japanese prostitutes. This is a subject which, I know, the Japanese Government are endeavouring to deal with, but, for reasons stated in Mr. Lindley's Report, find some difficulty in doing.
There is no doubt that apart from commercial competition the main factor accounting for the unpopularity of the Japanese in the eyes of the foreign resident in the Far East is that the Japanese now claim absolute equality with Americans and Europeans, which, as Mr. Lindley points out, is admitted readily enough in theory, but
[1822 i-1]
B
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