JAPAN’S MISSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4004, 10 August 1915, Page 3

JAPAN’S MISSION.

ORIENT’iS~GREAT CTIA N GE. Count Okuma, the Prime Minister ot Japan, is one of the most important figures in international diplomacy to-day. In the significant article presented ,herewith he slates officially the Japanese attitude toward the important question involving China.

It is only some 60 years since Japan came into contact with western civilisation and thought, and in that time we have abolished the feudal system ami achieved the great work of the Moiji restoration. So complete a transformation fu so brief a period has aroused the surprise and admiration of the -Occidental world. But how was so great a change wrought ? Simply by abandoning former habits, freeing our minds from erroneous thoughts, am.l adapting ourselves with necessary modifications to the mo'st highly civilised systems of the 'modern world. Wo thus became heirs to the best that great Europe has attained during the last 2001) years.

China, on the contrary, which lias a longer .history than any other nation extending as it does over 4OGO years, and which was once the foremostnation on earth, is still behind the times, clinging to her old, worn-out habits, treating western civilisation with contempt, and priding herself on bigoted self-conceit. She makes no adequate exertion to attain the best that modern civilisation lias to offer.

Consequently, though China has known the western world much longer than Japan, she is yet without its benefits and is in fact in danger of losing, whatever peculiar virtues her own civilisation may contain. Such a vital difference between China and Japan is not due to any inherent racial peculiarity, but to habits, customs, and circumstances that are permitted to interfere with China’s good. In other words, the. difference is duo to causes that arc removable. Races cannot change their color, but they can change their habits and mistakes. A nation can at least replace indifference by interest, inertia by exertion. and follow the good example oi Olliers without giving up aught that is good of its own. What a people must believe is that they can develop themselves and become something.

The highest quality of civilisation in the world to-day is a composite of many gifts from various races a"d nations. It is a union of the seriousness of the Hebrews, the philosophy and art of Greece, the law and order of Rome, with the ethics of Christianity, together with all that the least has t-o offer. Civilisation will be greater when the assimilation is more complete. The greater part of the world’s area to-day is taken up by the white races, all the other colors being crowded into tne remaining tenth of the earth’ssurface. These less fortunate races and nations have fallen under the pressure of western civilisation. Countries like China, Siam, Persia, Abyssinia, and Liberia are especially under the thumb of western power, and whatever degree of independence' they may claim is due to the exigencies °f what- the greater nations call the

“balance of power.” Japan is about ' the only outside nation that is really independent. _ ■ About one-third of the human race . is white—the rest other shades. Ol j those China- and India represent the larger numbers, and the populations , of these two countries exceed the j number of the white races by 100,000,- j 000. putting the white - ' races at i 600.000,000, and the Indians and , Chinese at 300,000,000 and 400,000,000 | respectively. From these it is clearly i seen that power does not lie in num- ; bers, since these vast populations are! practically under the . dominance oi j lessor populations. .. It is out of these peculiar circumstances that Japan’s mission appears. It becomes her duty t-o represent both East and West and bring about harmony between their peoples and civilisations. The mission of Japan is to bring about an international civilisation. .... , bike water, the civilisation of the world is always flowing towards the lower levels, and thus keeps the oa •- a nee true. The nation that it- strong and active enough to meet and regulate- the flow will withstand it ami utilise it for its own progress, butthe nation that it unable to face the ordeal will be submerged by t-Uo superior civilisation as a nation. Japan alone has been able to_ meet Occidental civilisation and utilise it without detriment to her own, thus harmonising; thci ‘two. Japan nas faced the flood and has not been overwhelmed. She has revealed marvellous powers of civilisation and adaptation. if she maintains the method and the pace she has begun, Japan stands the best chance of all nation-' to become the harmoniser of East and It is not out of any notion of selfimportance or racial conceit, that we foe-1 this responsibility resting upon ns as a nation. The facts are bet me us and we have to face them to put ourselves in so groat a position. It is the outcome of obedience to the laws of the universe. It is be-

cause our capacity for adaptation is so vast that this opportunity and privi- . lege is thus thrust upon us. • 1 am sorry that so many of our countrymen are as yet blind to t io meaning and duty of tins great icsponsibiiity laid on. Japan. lh®y 111 f! too indifferent and prone to lives ot case. Too easily content are they with the empty title of first-class , country, and they lack the spirit essential to tackling and dealing with this all-important problem. Such a mistaken attitude must bo uprooted - socially, politically, and in any other way. if Japan performs her great mis- , sion of bringing East-and West closer . together in friendly and profitable ; communion she will have done tne f world an invaluable service; a service ' sufficient to make up for what the West has done for Japan. Western nations have already confessed their failure to be able to- as- - siinilptc Oriental civilisation. Japan t , alone can digest the two. . | l Thus the whole world, pourmg itG j j' best into the alembic of our minds, j will have it transmuted for service elsewhere. ... Our military and naval power will amount to nothing if wo fail in our , duty to humanity. It will profit us little to acquire all the learning ot l the West in return. It is more blessi ed to give than to receive. , If Japan rises to her opportunity - there is no tolling to what greatness ' she mav attain; whereas, if she is ini' different to it she cam never hope to bo a great nation. " . r I 'firmly believe that our people nap e - the capacity to do this worthy service for mankind, and I, urge them for- + ward toward accomplishing it.