YELLOW VERSUS WHITE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1514, 7 March 1901, Page 59

YELLOW VERSUS WHITE

THE DANGER FROM THE EAST. The recent confidences of the Japanese diplomatist to the “Novoye Vremya” have nothing very new about them; the same sentiments may be read in any history of Japan. The Land of the Rising Sun has always been haunted by the dread of European aggression. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries vhis feeling was uppermost. It culminated in a species of “Boxer” movement, and th© massacre of all Christians, as the advance guard of the would-be conquerors. Then Japan shut herself up, and came out of her seclusion only on account of the show of force made by the American expedition under Commodore Perry. The argument then was: Resistance now is hopeless; let us admit the foreigner, learn his ways and weapons, till we are proficient enough to beat him. Japan’s ambition is to administer China herself, much as we administer India, but as she lacks the strength she has joined the European Concert and bides her time. Russia —to whom, the yellow peril is always a very real dread —would seem to realise Japanese diplomacy, and to be seeking to outbid Japan in posing as China's friend. European distrust of Russia! is Japan's opportunity.

It is improbable, however, that Japan, as yet, has any absolutely definite scheme. She toys between the West and the East. She would be with the West were one darling project realised. That project is to connect the Japanese Imperial family with a. European Royal House. A European bride for some future Emperor would be. what she would like, but she would have to be a “big gun.” Eventually, no doubt, if Japan and China act in concert, some Russian princess will be given to a Mikado, as the princesses of the Eastern Roman Empire were given to Russian invaders about a thousand years' ago. A failure of the European Concert can always start the ball rolling in this direction. It should always be remembered that a Japanese despises the Chinese, and Japanese has ideals of an alliance like the Franco-Russian entente. Japan aims to officer the Chinese Army and Navy, and generally to play the role of th© governing class. It is, in fact, not so much from China as from Japan that danger is to be anticipated eventually. The day is distant yet, but our children may see it.